A Warrior Without A Master
by speed killz
Summary: Setsuna, one of the many Warriors charged with protecting the world from Demons, has forged her own path without the help of a Master, a magic-using aide that all Warriors bond with to boost their powers. Now though, she's gone as far as she can by herself. Pilot chapter, won't be working on it until Shatter is done. Kono/Setsu, Ayaka/Asuna, Tatsu/Kaede
1. Pilot Chapter

A Warrior Without A Master - Pilot Chapter 1

_The sun was a fiery haze, low in the sky, and the air was still warm with the heat of summer. High above the sprawling metropolis, out of sight of the people crawling the streets, a winged figure cut through the air, sword trailing behind her as she tilted to the right, trimming her wings just enough to stall airflow for a moment, causing her to list sharply and drop like a stone. Lancing over her head, a sword slashed at the airspace she had just seconds ago occupied, and as she fell, she twisted over to look at her opponent. _

_"You're a dog without an owner, a Warrior without a Master! You cannot defeat me!" The demon roared, tattered wings beating the air with a frantic pulse as it tried to match the raven-haired girl's acrobatic arial movements._

_Sweat beading on her forehead despite the cold brisk air blasting over her skin, the girl beat her wings hard and tried to gain some altitude on the demon. Unconsciously, controlling them as easily as every other muscle in her body, they tilted and trimmed of their own accord, manipulating air flow to replicate her every unconscious desire. Now, she dipped her head, aiming for the demon even as she brought her sword high over her head. Facial feature contorting in anger, her eyes narrowed and the muscles in her jaw tightened as she grunted, bringing the sharp blade down as hard as she could. The leathery skinned demon growled softly as he raised his sword to block the strike. The winged girl tensed her arms as their swords made contact, the metal-on-metal vibration numbing her arms. The demon's wings folded slightly, and he buckled under the strike, falling from the sky and out of reach of another attack._

_Growling in frustration, the girl flared her wings wide, every beautiful white feather stretching out to catch the wind. Instantly, her wings filled with a pocket of air and slowed her to almost to a dead stop. Twisting her powerful hips, she spun around, wings folding around her to lessen the drag and speed up the movement. Dropping swiftly through the air, she spotted the demon a few hundred feet below her. Tucking her wings in, she fell under the full force of gravity, wind whipping at her hair and lifting her shirt from her toned stomach. _

_The ground rushed toward her now, approaching fast yet she was naught but confident. As she approached the level of the demon giving her so much trouble, she spread her wings once more. Catching the air, they snapped open violently and pulled her to a stop, the strain on her muscles pulling at her back, shoulders and lats. Whipping her sword around, she struck once more at the demon, not surprised when he blocked it easily. _

_How the hell was she going to defeat this one...? He was so damn strong..._

_Suddenly, a blinding pain erupted in the side of her head as his taloned hand came around quicker than lighting, striking her across the side of the face. Instantly, her skin tore, deep scratches across her throat and cheeks blossoming with warm blood. It splashed into her eyes, blinding her as she fell from the sky, disoriented and unable to control her fall._

_She tried to spread her wings, but in her blindness failed to realize she was falling toward the earth head first, with her back toward the ground. The air caught her wings and whipped them around her body, fighting her muscles and keeping her from righting herself. _

_The only thing that ran through her mind before she impacted the glass was that she hoped she came out of this alive. _

_The impact itself wasn't too bad; she was going so fast that she obliterated the double-pane glass window without much trouble. She could feel jagged cuts slicing the skin on her arms and legs, but thankfully, it didn't feel like she was cut open deeply, or impaled._

_The second impact was worse. Slamming into a lightly carpeted floor, it was a solid impact that jarred her teeth and rattled her brain. Instantly, a headache erupted in her head. _

_Then she heard the scream. Opening her eyes, she blinked until the blurriness faded. When her vision sharpened, she groaned and looked up from where she laid on the floor. At first, she couldn't make sense of the upside down shape she was seeing; then realized that it was someone standing over her. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she blinked again. Slowly, she began to make sense of what she was seeing._

_A horrified brown-haired girl stood above her, hands over her mouth and brown eyes wide as she looked down at the girl on the floor. _

_"Are you okay?" She asked."T-there's blood everywhere!"_

_Slowly, the battered girl came to her senses. One of the first things she noticed was that her wings were gone. Was she really so damaged that she had lost the ability to manifest her wings?_

000

_"Asuna is actually really strong." Setsuna said quietly, and three pairs of eyes turned on her._

_"Stronger than even I am. Her arrogance is certainly warranted. She's been at this almost as twice as long as I have, and in the short time I've known her, she's killed a staggering number of Demons. Most of them quite strong."_

_Asuna smirked, sitting cross-legged on the ground. Her massive sword was stuck tip-first into the ground next to her, and she reached over to pat it's dulled edge affectionately._

_"There isn't much of anything that I'm afraid to tackle head on." She said. Beside her, also sitting cross-legged, a blonde haired girl reached over and wrapped her arms around Asuna's waist._

_"Asuna's protected me since day one." She said, holding onto the fiery red-head for a moment until the girl's struggling made her relent her grip. Placing her hands back into her lap, she turned instead to smile warmly at the now-disgruntled warrior. _

_"And she's never let me down yet. I don't think she ever will."_

_Asuna snorted in derision, reaching toward the silent girl seated some few feet away from Setsuna and taking the water bottle from her grasp. Popping the top, she tilted it up and squeezed some water into her mouth. Pouring faster than she could swallow though, the water soon overflowed her thirsty mouth and slid down her cheeks and throat in teasing beads. Once satisfied, she recapped the water, and tossed it back to the silent girl before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand._

_"Of course, you both know that it's not just me." Asuna explained. "Any strength I have is multiplied by my Master-in this case, Ayaka here." The blonde beamed once again, but this time kept her hands to herself. _

_"And it will work the same with you two." Asuna said, unconsciously reaching up and tugging at the thin black collar around her throat. Once she realized what she was doing, she sighed, then gestured to an identical one on Setsuna's throat. _

_"Her Master is her life. Setsuna must protect her Master, so that her Master can help her in battle. If her Master falls in battle, she will also. You two are a pair now, and you'd better get used to that fact."_

_There was silence for a moment, before Asuna stood. Reaching down, she held her hand out to Ayaka, her Master._

_"Come." She said, speaking to the two girls still sitting on the ground. " Let us show you fledglings of combat how two hearts beating as one wage war on Demons."_

_Without waiting for an answer, Asuna closed her eyes, hand still clasped in her Masters'. Ayaka bowed her head and muttered a quick spell. A second later and the Earth itself seemed to throb and pulse. One. Two. Three._

_Suddenly, the sky was engulfed in fire and a brilliant, savage wave of heat washed over them as the sky immediately darkened until it was hard to see your own hand in front of your face._

_There was no smoke, just an intense, stifling heat that seared the oxygen from your lungs and made your eyes water and skin burn. _

_"A basic summoning spell." Setsuna managed to gasp, leaning closer to her Master. "Ayaka is summoning some Demons for Asuna to have a bit of fun with."_

_Her Master nodded, clearly new to the whole thing and trying to grasp the concept. She decided that she would just watch, and see what happened. _

_A low, bass-like thrumming filled the air, growing more powerful until the air itself seemed to vibrate. Louder it became, until it seemed it could become no louder. Then, it abruptly disappeared._

_For a moment, there was silence. Aside from the crackling of flames from the burning red sky, there was silence._

_It seemed to stretch on for an infinity, although in reality, it was only a second or two._

_And then with a noisy, fiery crash, all hell broke loose._

A/N: This is gonna be epic.


	2. Ch 1, First Impressions

_Warrior Without A Master_

Chapter 1: First Impressions

The wounded girl groaned, closing her eyes against the image of the brown-haired girl standing over her, looking quite horrified.

_'At least my wings aren't out,_' She thought, coughing and tasting blood as she struggled to sit up. '_Otherwise I would have to make her my Master..._'

"What the hell happened to you? Stay down, you're bleeding everywhere! Let me get you help!" There was a frantic tone to the girl's voice, and the warrior on the ground slowly realized what she had said.

"No!" She ground out, gasping as she released her grasp on her pounding head and reached out to the retreating girl.

"No?" The girl questioned, turning around to give her a look that suggested she had hit her head harder than previously thought.

"Don't...I'm fine."

"You don't look fine...?" There was an inflection in her statement, turning it into an open-ended question.

"Setsuna." The warrior growled, gritting her teeth against the pain. She could feel blood dripping down her back, and it felt like she was wearing the shattered glass window as a coat.

"Setsuna. You look...pretty smashed up. Let me get you some help."

Setsuna groaned in frustration, rather than pain this time. The girl's tone suggested she was speaking to an invalid, and Setsuna didn't appreciate it.

"Fine." Setsuna said, waving her off. "Go get your...help."

The girl moved toward the door, then hesitated, casting a worried glance back at her. Then without a sound, disappeared into the hallway.

"Kid doesn't have a cell phone?" Setsuna grumbled, slowly twisting over until she was on her hands and knees. The pain in her back intensified, and she took a few deep breaths, waiting for it to subside. No matter, she thought, this only made it easier for her to escape.

Pushing herself to her feet, she waited a second for the trembling in her legs to subside. Her muscles felt tight and unresponsive, pained and tightened up from the shock of impact and being wounded so badly, so she stretched, trying to coax them back into action. As she stretched, she winced when she felt tiny pieces of glass dislodge themselves from her skin and fall to the carpet.

"Gross..." She muttered. Suddenly, the girl's muffled voice reached her ears, and it sounded like it was getting closer. Hearing footsteps slowly coming up the stairs, Setsuna cast a glance at the shattered window she had entered through so violently. Taking a deep breath, she willed her muscles into action. Wiping blood from her eyebrow before it could obscure her vision, she took a few steps toward the window, then threw herself out of it, plummeting toward the ground.

"Setsunaa!" The brown-haired girl had come back into the room just in time to see the girl launch herself out of the window, blood from her wounds spattering the floor and window ledge, and she ran to the window, mindful of the shards surrounding the window frame and looked toward the ground, eyes wide as she wondered what the girl was doing throwing herself out of the second storey window. Was she suicidal? Was that why she didn't want any help?

Expecting to see a bloody, twisted body laying on the ground, her fear widened eyes narrowed in confusion as she saw...nothing at all.

Although, if she had looked in the opposite direction, up into the bright blue sky, she would have seen Setsuna rapidly gaining altitude with furious pumps of her torn and bloody wings, heading off into the distance.

(W.W.A.M.)

"So, you got your ass kicked once again, eh?" The girl teased, tying back her waist length red hair into a high ponytail in preparation to help Setsuna. Her bi-colored eyes glinted in the bright overhead lights, laughter clear in her eyes and her voice.

"Shut up, Asuna." Setsuna replied, no trace of humor in her voice.

"Come on, sit up here." Asuna indicated the flat waist high table in the center of the room, covered in a sheet of white plastic. Setsuna moved over, gingerly and with pain written clear across her face as she turned around and heaved herself up on the table, back toward Asuna.

"Lift up your arms." Asuna instructed, even as Setsuna was already in the middle of performing the movement; she had been defeated too many times recently for this to be a new experience. Luckily, she always managed to escape with her life.

Asuna gently grabbed the hem of Setsuna's shirt and pulled it up, over Setsuna's head and off her arms. There were two distinct holes in the back of it over Setsuna's shoulder blades; it was clear where her wings emerged from her back in violent bursts before unfurling to their full capacity during flight and battle. Other tears and holes though, were either a result of her most recent battle, or a result of her fall from the heavens and rather abrupt collision with the glass window and floor.

Asuna balled up the tattered black cloth and tossed it aside. Returning her gaze to Setsuna's back, she wrinkled her nose cutely,sticking out her pink tongue in mock disgust.

"Wow, you got slaughtered, Setsuna."

The only response she got was a defeated sigh as Setsuna raised her arms to cover her bare chest.

"Dunno why you're covering up, I'm not looking. Ain't got anything decent to look at anyway." Asuna teased light-heartedly, trying in her own way to cheer up her friend.

A mumbled, "Whatever..." was her reward, and Asuna immediately gave up, shaking her head at her friend's obviously depressed state.

Picking up a pair of tweezers, Asuna carefully began removing bloody slivers of glass from the raven-haired girl's back, the only noise in the room being their light breathing, and the tinkle of glass slivers falling into a metal dish, the tweezers occasionally tapping against the rim to dislodge chunks of glass stuck to the tweezers with dried blood.

This went on for several minutes, before Setsuna quietly spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Where's your human tonight?"

Asuna quirked an eyebrow at Setsuna's derisive choice of wording.

"My 'human'?" She asked, enunciating the word sarcastically. "My Master is at home tonight. She has a test tomorrow, and is studying."

Setsuna nodded slowly.

"You know, if you took a Master, you wouldn't be coming home every night a loser, licking your wounds and looking for treatment." Asuna said, lightly chastising her friend.

Setsuna shook her head. "Don't start on that." She said, just the thought making her clench her teeth in anger. "I will never take a Master. I can fight on my own."

Asuna rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly, lightly poking at a deep slash on Setsuna's back with the sharp metal tweezers, earning a yelp of pain and a jerk from the girl seated in front of her.

"Clearly." Was her only sarcastic response.

"Fuck off."

Asuna's eyebrows furrowed. "I'm trying to help you, you idiot. I worry about you, fighting by yourself! Don't take it out on me!"

Setsuna inhaled sharply, ready to lash out at her, but then realized her current condition and settled for growling deep in her throat, angry at her current lack of strength and the losing streak she had taken on recently.

"Sorry..." Setsuna muttered, almost too low for Asuna to hear. She did though, and she smiled, patting Setsuna's bare shoulder.

"Everything will be okay, you'll see." She said softly.

Setsuna shrugged. "I hope."

Giving Setsuna's back a final once-over, Asuna declared herself done, and traded her bloody tweezers for a needle and thread.

"There's only three I think I need to stitch up, the rest will do with some surgical tape and bandaging." Asuna said, lips quirking up at the edges as a funny thought occurred to her.

"Y'know, ever since you hit this losing streak, I've become awfully good at playing doctor."

Setsuna couldn't decide if she was making a lewd comment, implying something of a sexual nature, or just teasing about how good she had gotten at stitching and cleaning wounds, but decided that she didn't like either possibility. She tried to think of something to say, but couldn't, and remained silent.

It didn't take long; foregoing the pain numbing injection they had used the first few times Setsuna needed to be stitched up, Asuna quickly and expertly stitched up the worst looking gashes, tying the knot and cutting off the excess thread, taking Setsuna's jerks of discomfort and pained twitches in stride.

"Now, to tape up the others..."

Setsuna listened to the unique sound of super sticky tape ripping off the roll, not unlike the sound of ripping duct tape off the roll really quickly, and felt Asuna's warm fingertips squeezing together sections of her skin, pressing them together then taping over the wound, so the skin could heal back together.

"Aaand...finished." Asuna said, gently patting Setsuna's back. "Stay here, I'll go find you a shirt. I know how embarrassed you are about your body...or is it ashamed?" Dodging a half-hearted swipe at her head, Asuna laughed and disappeared into the hallway leading to their separate rooms. This too, was becoming more familiar, and she needed no direction as she opened Setsuna's door, made her way to the closet, and pulled down a black t-shirt from the hanger.

Coming back out to the living room-turned-operating-room, Asuna nearly tripped over her own feet as she turned her gaze onto Setsuna. The girl was standing now, facing her. She was naked from the waist up, light, superficial scratches that were already half-healed adorning her otherwise unmarred snow white skin. Her chest was covered by her hands, and a heavy blush was painted across her cheeks and back of her neck, her head bowed and turned to the side. Her shoulder length, razor straight black hair was pulled into a hasty, messy ponytail, and a few strands had escaped to frame her face, her eyes an endlessly deep pair of black pools, half lidded as she gazed away in embarrassment.

"Thanks, Asuna." She whispered. "I'm gonna make something for supper...did you want anything?"

Asuna cleared her throat, then shook her head. "Uh, no. I'm gonna go see if my Master is still studying. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Are you coming home tonight?" Setsuna asked, reaching out with one hand to take the offered shirt.

"Probably, but I dunno how late. You should go to bed as early as you can and get your rest; I'll try to come in quietly so I don't wake you."

Setsuna nodded, then turned her back to the girl to slip on her shirt.

"See you when I see you, then." Setsuna said. "Are you going hunting tonight?"

Asuna shrugged as she slipped into her shoes. "Not sure. I'll see how my Master feels."

"Okay." Setsuna turned away. At the sound of the front door opening, she paused on her way to the kitchen. "If you do, Asuna...be careful, okay?"

Asuna smiled, then nodded even though Setsuna's back was turned and the gesture went unseen. "Of course. 'Bye, Setsuna."

With that, the door closed with a quiet click, and the silence that filled the house was loud in Setsuna's ears. Sighing, she moved to the kitchen. The house was so quiet and boring without the red-head here.

(W.W.A.M.)

The brown-haired girl sighed in frustration for the umpteenth time that night, leaning back on her haunches to survey the damage. The glass was now cleaned up and a clear plastic bag stretched across the window frame to act as an impromptu bug, rain, and wind deflector.

Now, the girl was on her hands and knees trying to scrub the blood and dirt out of her bedroom carpet. She was only moderately successful though, she thought, as she wiped sweat from her forehead with her forearm.

"I don't know what she was trying to accomplish," The girl muttered, "But if her goal was to smash someone's window, bleed out all over their carpet, then disappear without a trace, then I'd say she accomplished her goal juuuuust fine."

The sun had set an hour ago, and as she looked around the room, her eyes landed on her opened, yet unstudied text book.

"Aw, damn..." She muttered. "I'm going to bomb that test tomorrow, thanks to this totally unbelievable event."

Standing up, she tossed her scrubbing brush and foamy carpet cleaning aerosol spray can in a bucket, then headed for the bathroom to wash her hands. As she stood in front of the sink, scrubbing the pink liquid from her flesh with hot soapy water, she couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the girl.

"I hope that wherever she is, she's okay..."

Suddenly, her phone vibrated, and she pulled it out of her pocket. Unlocking it, she accessed the text message.

_Hey Konoka! Wanna meet in the cafeteria a bit early tomorrow morning to cram a bit of last minute studying? You probably don't need it, but I do!_

Konoka giggled, despite herself. "Oh Kaede, you have no idea how wrong you are..."

Quickly, she keyed back a response.

_Sure, say...7 A.M.? I have the most unbelievable story ever to tell you too!_

With that, she locked her phone, then slipped it back into her pocket. Yawning, she checked the time on the digital alarm clock on the bed side table, then decided to call it a day. Climbing into bed, she began to slowly pull off her clothes.

"I hope I can get to sleep tonight..."

Something told her that it was going to be very difficult.

A/N: Woo! With Shatter done, I can finally turn my attention to this fic! Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! As always, reviews are appreciated!


	3. Ch 2, Introductions

Warrior Without A Master

Chapter 2: Introductions

Konoka sighed as she sat down at the white laminate table, dropping her school bag onto the floor. Kaede gave her a small smile from where she sat across from the tired-looking girl, a textbook open in front of her and a pen spinning between her nimble fingers. There was a spiral bound notebook with it's page half filled with writing beside the textbook, evidence of Kaede's diligent studying.

"Good morning, Konoka. How are you this morning?" Kaede greeted courteously, absent-mindedly reaching up to run her hand through her hair. Her bangs, which were always kept short for as long as Konoka had known her, were growing out, and now they partially obscured Kaede's vision as her hand left her head, bangs flopping back down in her face. The rest of her hair, however, was just as long as it always had been, cascading down her back in shimmering waves, unbound today unlike most days, where it was strictly tied up with a red band.

The girl was tall, and as Konoka sat down at the table in front of her, her gaze travelled upward slightly to look Kaede in the eyes.

"I'm okay. Exhausted though. Not much sleep." She said. "Yourself?" She asked, taking a moment to examine Kaede further. Something else had changed, and she wondered curiously to herself at what it could be.

"I'm fine, thanks." Kaede responded, once more picking up her pen and spinning it deftly through her fingers. As Konoka let her gaze be drawn to the idle fidgeting, she suddenly realized what it was that was different.

Today, Kaede looked _girly._ And, surprisingly, nervous.

Konoka examined her further, and noticed that her right wrist had a small black band around it with dark red outlines of small hearts on it. Her clothing, which was usually a mix of conservative dress and sensible style, had degraded somewhat. Gone were the full sleeve white button down shirts and black dress pants, lending her a chic and smart appearance that the girl said was only appropriate for attendance at an institution of learning, replaced by something...unusual.

The girl was wearing a black short sleeved, thin fabric shirt with a deep V neck, plunging almost to the middle of her generously sized breasts, flashes of her bra visible when she moved. Around her neck was a thin black chain, and hanging off of it was a small Mjolnir, about the size of a quarter, and incredibly detailed.

Konoka coughed, then bent down to retrieve a pen from her backpack, sneaking a glance under the table as she did so. When she straightend back up, there was a ghost of a smile playing about her lips. Kaede had foregone the dress pants today in favor of tight blue jeans and a white studded belt, complete with high top flat soled skater shoes.

"You certainly look...good." Konoka said, unsure of which word to use to describe Kaede's sudden detour from the norm.

Kaede shrugged self-consciously, tapping the pencil against the inside of her left wrist as she looked around.

"I...decided to go with something different today." She said softly.

"Anything to do with Tatsumiya?" Konoka asked, raising a slender eyebrow. Kaede blinked, then averted her gaze back down to her textbook.

"Uhh...not...really, no...that I can think of...particularly..." Kaede trailed off, head dipping lower with each mumbled word. Konoka was about to respond with a teasing tone, when Kaede's head shot up suddenly, and she straightened.

"Why do you ask?" She said, looking around. "Is Mana here? Did you see her?"

Konoka had to bite her tongue to keep from bursting out into laughter. Instead, she brushed a lock of her hair over her ear, and shook her head.

"No, although that's a strange question. If anyone were to know where Tatsumiya would be, wouldn't it be you?" Konoka asked. "Recently, it seems, if you want to find one, you merely find the other."

Kaede reached up and ran her fingers through her hair again, pushing it back and sighing. It seemed the gesture was developing into a nervous habit.

"My apologies." Kaede said quietly. "Although now that I think about it, I wouldn't expect to see Mana this early in the morning anyway, what with class not starting for another forty-five minutes, and all."

Konoka hummed softly, eyes on her textbook. There was silence for a moment, each alone with their very different thoughts, until Konoka raised her head.

"Hey, what did you get for question seventeen?" Konoka asked, tilting her head in an effort to look at Kaede's severely slanted, yet incredibly near cursive handwriting.

Kaede obliged, turning the book around so Konoka could see.

"It's a basic formula for calculating amount of work performed based on the length of the lever from the axis, force applied and distance moved." Kaede said, reaching over and tapping the neatly written formula with her slender finger. It slid across the page a bit, pointing to a neatly drawn box with writing inside.

"This is the legend explaining all of the variables used in the equation."

Konoka nodded, then quickly copied the formula down, intending to try to work through it herself without copying the answer.

"Thanks, Kaede."

There was the sound of the notebook sliding back across the table, then silence as they each focused on their work. It went on for a while, until-

"That one is wrong."

Konoka looked up in time to see the normally alert and relaxed Kaede stiffen suddenly and almost jump out of her chair at the familiar sounding voice that belonged to neither of the two girls sitting at the table.

Mana Tatsumiya smirked as she leaned over Kaede's shoulder, surprised the girl hadn't felt her there or noticed her until she had spoken. While internally she was smug at having caught the girl off guard, she was quickly drawn away from that thought as the normally calm girl began stuttering uncontrollably.

"M-Mana! I didn't hear you coming...Uh...w-which one did you say was...incorrect?"

Mana frowned, narrowing her dark red eyes as she took in the blush rising across the back of Kaede's neck as she unconsciously swept her long hair over one shoulder. She'd never seen Kaede act so feminine before...not that Kaede was ever masculine, but the unbound hair, style of dress...it was certainly different.

"Number thirty-seven. A silly mistake. The acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 meters per second, _per second._ You need to square it one more time. Then redo the equation with the new parameters."

Kaede softly cleared her throat, picking up her pen and marking a star near the problem, marking it to be fixed later.

"Ah...thank you, Mana."

The dark brown haired girl nodded, then pulled out a chair and sunk down into it, levelling her gaze at her friend. After staring at her for a moment, her gaze slid to Konoka, and she nodded.

"Morning, Konoka." She said softly. Konoka merely smiled, and returned the greeting.

"I see you're prepared for the exam today." Konoka said, drawing little circles around the outside edge of her paper.

"I'm confident I'll do well." Mana allowed. She returned her gaze to Kaede's profile, narrowing her eyes once again as she gave the girl another pass with her sharp eyes, taking in every detail as she mentally noted all the subtle and not so subtle changes the girl had made.

...

Was Kaede wearing a different perfume...?

A strong blush permeated Kaede's cheeks and rose to the tips of her ears as she felt Mana's heavy gaze. Searching for a distraction, she looked up at Konoka.

"Konoka. You had something to tell me? Something strange last night?"

Konoka's eyes widened as she remembered the reason for her current exhaustion and difficulty focusing.

"Ohhh, right!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah, so anyway, I was studying last night, when the strangest thing ever happened! Some girl came flying through my bedroom window and landed on my floor!"

Kaede stared at her a moment, trying to figure out if Konoka was joking, telling a really bad made up story, or being serious.

She couldn't tell.

Konoka nodded, despite no one having said anything. "Yeah, and she was covered in blood. I panicked and went to go get help, but when I grabbed my phone from the living room and came back, she had already jumped back out of the window. When I looked out though, I couldn't see her. Weird, huh?"

Kaede tilted her head to the right a bit, hair cascading over her shoulder in a shiny, silky wave. Mana's gaze was drawn to it momentarily, before sliding away to gaze at Kaede's now exposed, slender neck.

"Are you sure that happened?" Kaede asked carefully, not willing to outright declare Konoka a liar.

Konoka nodded vigorously. "Yup! There's still blood stains on my carpet to prove it, and my window is broken."

"Isn't your bedroom on the second floor?"

Mana licked her lips as she watched Kaede speak, lips looking as soft as the skin on her throat and neck.

"Yeah. I asked her what her name was when she told me not to get help, and she said her name was...Se...Setsuna? Yeah, I think that's what it was."

Mana tore her eyes away from Kaede, and tuned in fully to the conversation that she had only been half listening to.

"What happened after that?" She asked quietly.

Both girls turned to her in surprise, then Konoka shrugged. "I dunno, like I said, she disappeared. I hope she's okay."

Mana hummed softly, hands slipping into her pockets as she bowed her head thoughtfully.

_If what Konoe says is true, then...she is still alive. Or at least, she was last night. Who knows about now, though...?_

Mana raised her head to catch Kaede looking at her out of the corner of her eye.

"We have some work to do tonight." Mana said quietly, fixing Kaede with a piercing look. Kaede nodded slowly. Wondering what significance this girl presented to Mana, Kaede was silent and thoughtful as her gaze fell to her textbook.

Suddenly, a ringtone broke the silence, and Konoka jumped, before reaching into her pocket and pulling out her cellphone.

"Should put that thing on silent..." She mumbled, flipping it open and reading her text.

_Hey, are you free a few minutes before class? I need help finishing this stupid assignment! :(_

Konoka laughed softly to herself, shaking her head.

_Asunaaa! That 'stupid assignment' was due last week! Did you study for the test today?_

Snapping her phone closed, she tossed it onto the table then sighed. Kaede looked up and tilted her head questioningly.

"Asuna still hasn't completed her assignment from last week, and I doubt she's even studied for the test we have today."

Kaede could only smile softly. "That's our Kagurazaka." She said sympathetically.

Konoka was about to respond, when her phone suddenly lit up, dancing across the table from the strong vibration. Snatching it up, Konoka once again burst into laughter.

_THERE'S A TEST! WTFFFFF^%*^&*0_

_What the heck has you so busy at nights that you can't do your homework and study?_ Konoka rapidly keyed back, idly wondering why her friend seemed more and more distracted as the days went on.

The reply was immediate, and confusing.

_A stupid girl who keeps getting her ass kicked and crawling to me for help, that's what. Last time I spend an hour picking glass out of her skin._

_...Whaaat?_ Konoka shook her head. Sometimes Asuna was so confusing.

_Nothing, nevermind. A joke. You probably haven't seen the anime that it's from, so don't worry...Anyway, are you coming to help meeee?_

Ignoring Asuna's non-sensical comment, Konoka stood, scooping up her books and dumping them into her open backpack.

"I'll see you guys later, I need to go rescue Asuna." Konoka said, giggling. She brushed a strand of hair from her face, then bent down and picked up her backpack. Slinging it over one shoulder, she waved, then turned for the exit.

Mana watched her walk away, then turned back to Kaede when she was out of earshot.

"Tonight, we're going hunting." Mana said, her carmine red eyes seeming to capture Kaede's winter grey orbs. Kaede felt her pulse quicken, both at the thought of hunting, and at the way Mana seemed to be entirely focused on her.

"Our primary objective will be to slaughter three more demons, bringing this week's tally to nearly sixty." She said. "Secondary objective is to gather information regarding Setsuna. If she's alive, I want to find her, and talk to her."

Kaede nodded wordlessly, not trusting herself to speech. Ironic, she thought, that she was the Master of Mana Tatsumiya. In situations like this, it was hard to believe. Their roles always seemed to be getting reversed. Not that Kaede necessarily minded, though. She wasn't that experienced, whereas Mana was, so her guidance was proving useful.

Mana pulled out her cellphone, long raven hair cascading over her shoulders as she bowed her head. She flicked through a few unimportant messages, marking them as read even though she hadn't bothered to read them. Maybe later she would, but right now they seemed unimportant. Noting the time, she snapped her phone shut and raised her head.

"Let's get to class. Tardiness is frowned upon." Mana then leaned in close, reaching past Kaede to flip her book closed. She paused for a moment, then inhaled slowly through her nose.

...Yeah...Definitely a new perfume.

Mana straightened, then stood, brushing against Kaede's arm as she made to move away.

A new perfume...and it smelled pretty good on her.

Knowing Kaede was following her, Mana strode out of the cafeteria intent on getting to class before the first bell rung.

(W.W.A.M.)

The blone-haired role model student chose to take a seat toward the back of the class today, knowing she still wouldn't miss a word of the lecture despite her location. She had convinced Asuna to take her seat at the front so she could better pay attention without being distracted by other classmates, the opportunity to sleep, or getting away with doodling on her notepad.

Asuna's grades had apparently always been terrible, but since meeting Asuna a little over a year ago, Ayaka had noticed a subtle yet steady decline in the red-head's school marks, and she was determined to change it.

Resisting the urge to slouch in her seat and tap a pencil obnoxiously against the marred desk surface, Ayaka sat up straight to preserve her flawless posture, and stayed quiet. Her head was turned toward the blackboard, but she was staring at Asuna out of the corner of her eye as a brown-haired girl leaned over her shoulder, pointing out problems and offering advice for the struggling girl.

A slight frown curved the edges of her lips. If Asuna needed help, why didn't she ask...?

She reached up and gently traced a finger over the fine silver clasp of the black leather choker she wore snugly around her throat, a proud symbol of her connection to the red-head that not many people would know or understand. A symbol she wore happily, despite the fact that the leather choker didn't quite accessorize with all of her clothes. She could have removed it if she wanted to; it truly was more symbolic than a functional piece, but she chose not to, much to Asuna's disgruntled, hesitant acceptance.

A sly smirk. Even if Asuna _did_ strongly object, there wasn't anything she could really do about it. She was powerless against her Master, and her Master's commands were absolute. If Ayaka commanded her to strip naked in the center of class, Asuna would comply, with the barest hints of objection. An order from her Master was absolute, no way around it.

Turning her gaze away from Asuna, she looked out the nearest window and began humming softly to herself, her mind following the new train of thought she was currently on. Asuna naked, eh...?

Ayaka felt the beginnings of a blush beginning to rush through her body, making it's way toward her cheeks as if there were a target painted on it.

Unmindful though, she continued to hum lightly to herself, letting her mind run away with thoughts of last night...

A/N: More groundwork laid...Next chapter is going to involve fighting, yeah! Please read and review! Sorry if this felt rushed or unpolished, you can tell from my other stories that I have nearly zero experience writing Maede and Asuyaka. It'll take me a while to get the feel for them. Guerrilla Warfare, seeing as you've mentioned your love of Mana and Kaede, I'll make an effort to include them as much as possible. Which shouldn't be too difficult, seeing as they will play a pretty important role later on.


	4. Ch 3, Unfulfilled Pursuit

_Warrior Without A Master_

Chapter 3: Unfulfilled Pursuit

The humanoid head was separated from it's mutilated body by a vicious swing from the swordswoman, her red hair trailing behind her as her muscles tensed, fighting against the sword's massive weight and momentum. Still though, the warrior pitched forward, as the sword thudded into the ground, still too heavy despite the last year of training to wield with any sort of grace. Ripping it from the hardened ground, she grimaced as searing hot blood splashed onto her skin, the lifeless body falling to the ground with a muffled whump.

"Gross..." She muttered, wiping the sticky red liquid from her chin and then wiping her hand on her jeans. As much as she loved fighting, she was still a girl. And blood was icky!

Turning around, her arms burned with fatigue, bi-colored eyes wide and searching for her next target. Some ways away from her, Ayaka was dispatching demon after demon with a razor sharp katana, thrusting and slicing her way through the throng of demons. Unlike Asuna, she didn't seem to notice the copious amounts of blood staining her clothes, and there was a fiery look of concentration on her face that Asuna found awe-inspiring.

"Okay!" She said, feeling renewed at the sight of Ayaka cavorting through the demons with such ease. Granted, they were small fry compared to the ones Asuna was working through, but it was impressive nonetheless.

Hefting her sword onto her shoulder, she took off at a run, looking up at the sound of beating wings. High above her, a demon glared down angrily, pointing one muscular arm at her, claws extended. It opened it's fanged jaw and growled, wings beating the air at a constant pace to stay aloft.

"Well, if that's how you want to play..." Asuna brought her sword down from over her head, the blunt edged weapon instantly crushing the skull of a demon who had brought an axe to bear against her. Within seconds, blood and brains coated her skin in a slimy covering that made her blanch at the scent of it. Forcing herself onward, she tucked her arm in, and smashed her elbow into the now dead body, knocking it to the ground and never missing a step of her full tilt run. Gathering her strength in her legs, she leapt into the air, dragging her sword with her. As soon as her blood-soaked sneaker clad feet left the grass, snow white wings erupted from her back in a flash of brilliant light, unfurling to their maximum extension and beating the air with slow, sure, powerful strokes. Instantly, she began climbing, a grin working it's way across her face as she raced upward.

Tucking the handle of her sword in close to her side, she tensed up and pointed the blade toward the demon. He reacted instantly, grabbing a metal shield from his back and bringing it across in front of his chest.

Asuna grinned; the tip of her sword was anything but sharp. The blunt tip impacted the shield, and the hardened steel instantly punctured it. Another aggressive beating of her wings, and she drove the sword into his chest. Blood squirted out, coating the inside of the shield, and began running down what remained of the cutting edge of her sword. As the hot liquid ran down Asuna's knuckles before dripping off to begin their descent to the ground, Asuna violently twisted her sword, then ripped it free. Immediately, the beating of scarred leathery demonic wings stopped, and the body fell from the sky, rivulets of blood streaming through the air behind it.

Spinning around, she came to a dead stop in mid-air, surveying the rest of the battle. Her eyes found Ayaka, who was thinning the remaining demons who were bound to the earth, no wings to lift themselves free.

Tilting forward, she trimmed her wings until she stalled, falling from the sky. Gently increasing airflow over her wings until she pulled level with the earth, she hefted her sword up as she sped toward the group of demons attacking her master. Bracing it against her shoulder, she crashed into the swarm.

Immediately, she was soaked from head to toe in fresh hot blood as her sword crashed into so many demons' bodies. The swift reduction in speed was painful; the force of her sword slicing through demons was borne solely on her shoulder supporting it and she grunted in pain. Finally, all momentum lost, she let her wings fade into her back as she fell the final three feet to the ground, ignoring the grunts and growls of pain from the demons around her.

Now, there was only one left, and Asuna spun to face him. He was tall, nearly eight feet, and had a short sword in each hand. His gaunt face turned toward her, and his leathery skin creased as his brow furrowed. Breaking into a run, the demon raised his swords over his head, intent on bringing them down upon her. Asuna went down on one knee, bringing her sword up over her head to guard against the downfall of blades. However, before she got the chance to, she saw a flash of light slice through the air, and the demon's arms were separated from it's body at the elbows, falling to the ground. Stunned, the demon lowered his stubs, looking around confusedly. He wasn't confused for long though, as a blade seemed to grow from his chest, blood squelching from the wound as the sword was twisted ruthlessly. Once withdrawn, the demon fell to his knees. Another swipe, and the head was removed from his body, his now very dead body flumping over in defeat. Behind him stood her Master, blood smeared across her cheeks, sword dangling by her side, and blonde hair swaying in the light breeze that had picked up, the tips stained with dark red blood. Her head slowly tilted to the side, and she smiled softly at Asuna.

"Another flawless sweep of victory, Asuna."

Asuna, muscles aching, let her sword fall to the ground. She exhaled slowly, raising one tired arm up to wipe sweat from her temple; it was insanely ticklish as it ran down her skin.

"How many was that?" Asuna asked. Ayaka strode over, letting the tip of her sword drag through the grass and dirt as she did. When she got close to Asuna, she reached out and put her hand on Asuna's cheek. Closing her eyes, she called forth the boundless magic flowing through her body, summoning the souls from the bodies of the dead. Slowly they rose, small orbs of white light that were tainted faintly iridescent by death and demonic power. One by one, as if drawn to Ayaka like moths to a flame they came, until they disappeared as they entered her body. She could feel a tingle spreading through her as her body absorbed each one, and for a moment she feared she would not be able to absorb this much demonic power so quickly. However, most of them were weak demons, and even combined they didn't pose much of a threat. In time, her own power would overcome them, eradicating the demonic taint and leaving her with left with the untainted raw magical power.

Asuna shivered when she felt the purified souls pass into her body when Ayaka began absorbing them; it was a weird feeling of the likes she had never experienced before. When the souls were split mostly evenly between them; thirteen for her, remaining fourteen residing in Ayaka, the blonde let her hand fall away from Asuna's face, returning to her side. She opened her eyes, then smiled at Asuna.

"Say, Asuna, I've been wondering..." Ayaka started, tracing little circles in the dirt with the tip of her sword lazily.

"Yeah? What is it?" Asuna asked.

"Why do we split the souls between us if we end up just offering them to the Maker anyway?"

Asuna grinned lopsidedly, pink tongue pressing against her right canine. "So if one of us falls outside of battle, the total quantity of souls isn't lost."

"Wait, what?" Ayaka looked at her, clearly confused.

"Well, if one of us dies in battle, the other will automatically die. We share a soul, after all. One cannot live with half a soul. However, if you or I died outside of battle, our contained souls would escape the body; in this case, you would lose the fourteen souls you just collected, and the half of a soul you possessed; it would find it's way back to me and I would once again be complete. Same, if vice versa. If I died outside of battle, I lose my thirteen collected souls, and the half of our soul that I possess. It would wander back to you, pulled by the call of your half of your soul, and you would once again have a complete soul."

"How then, would we both die if one of us fell in battle?" Ayaka queried.

"Simple. The demons are trying to do to us, what we do to them. If you were to fall in battle, they would absorb your half of our soul before it could find it's way back to me. One cannot live with half a soul, so...I would die."

"So the purpose of dividing souls is..."

"Also simple. The Maker is greedy. If one of us were to hold all of the collected souls, then fell in battle, they would be released to wander the earth until someone absorbed them, be it a Collecter like us, or worse, a demon. This way, whether or not one of us dies, the Maker is mostly guaranteed to get half the souls collected."

"I...see..."

Asuna reached out and ruffled Ayaka's hair playfully. "Don't worry about it too much, kid. It'll all make sense in time. You've only been with me a year or so; you have much more to learn."

Ayaka smiled and closed her eyes as Asuna ruffled her hair, unconsciously leaning into the touch. When Asuna removed her hand, Ayaka opened her eyes.

"Would you like to come back to my house? You know, clean up?"

Asuna looked around, noticing for the first time the rapidly darkening sky.

"Yeah, actually...that would probably be a good idea. Setsuna is hopefully asleep by now; she needs her rest."

Ayaka smiled at this, then slipped her sheath from her back with her free hand. Sliding her sword into it, she then grimaced in pain and disgust.

"What's wrong?" Asuna asked, noting her expression.

"My hand...is stuck to my hilt with dried blood." She noted. With a small grunt, the blood cracked, then finally released under the strain of Ayaka pulling. With a sickening sticky ripping sound, her hand came free.

"We're a ways away from your house, shall we take to the air?" Asuna asked, as Ayaka rubbed her hand off on her jeans.

Ayaka nodded. "We might as well." She replied, securing her now sheathed sword to her back.

Another intense flash of light, and Asuna's brilliant white wings were once again visible. Holding out her arms to Ayaka, she wordlessly invited the girl closer. Barely able to contain her glee, Ayaka moved until she was pressed against Asuna's front, her arms around the girl's neck. Asuna easily scooped her up, arm under her knees and supporting her neck. Holding the girl to her chest, she took off. Flying high into the darkening sky, she took a moment to get her bearings before setting a course for Ayaka's house. As Ayaka tightened her grip on Asuna, Asuna tightened hers.

(W.W.A.M.)

It didn't take long for the two to reach Ayaka's house; circling the house high above a few times, looking for people who would notice their descent, they saw none. As Asuna began her rapid descent in the near-darkness, Ayaka felt her stomach flip. She clenched tightly to Asuna and trusted that the girl wouldn't end this night short with their bodies broken on the hard ground below; with great difficulty, she suppressed a scream.

The ground rushed at them seemingly way too fast, but it was with complete control that Asuna pulled up, flaring her wings and coming to a near dead stop a few feet above the ground before gravity resumed control over the lost momentum and they dropped lightly to their feet. Asuna's wings were gone before her feet touched the ground. Gently setting Ayaka down on shaking legs, Asuna noticed for the first time Ayaka's expression.

"Did I go too fast for you?" She asked, biting her lip apologetically. There was an apologetic look in her eyes that Ayaka couldn't tear her gaze away from.

"N-no, it's fine. It's just that it was only the second or third time I've flown with you, that's all. It really takes some getting used to, being airborne, especially when you're not the one in control."

Asuna grinned, and reached out to once again ruffle Ayaka's hair. "Sorry, kiddo. I'll keep that in mind for next time." She gently pulled Ayaka closer into a one armed hug, then released her before the blonde could return the gesture.

Mind spinning, Ayaka reached into her pocket and withdrew her house keys. Asuna had dropped them in the back yard, where there was less chance of being seen, and now she walked up the two steps leading to the back patio where the back door lead into the house.

"It's so exciting that you can afford your own place." Asuna said, as the jingling of a key in a lock reached her ears. A second later, and the door was pushed open.

"Can't you afford your own place?" Ayaka asked, puzzled.

"Well, technically I _can_, but with Setsuna as a room mate, it's much easier. Besides, the money I save by rooming with someone is going to be very useful one day when I no longer feel like working, and it's nice to have company, especially one who understands the kind of things we do."

"Is that all?" Ayaka asked, teasing in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Asuna asked suspiciously, her tone guarded.

"About Setsuna? Is that the only reason?"

"W-well, she's also become a bit of a close friend, and given her current losing streak, I couldn't leave her on her own, that would be like throwing her to the wolves." Asuna shrugged.

Ayaka flicked on the kitchen lights as she entered, glancing back at Asuna.

"You can shower first, then I will after you." She said, looking at the blood that covered Asuna from head to toe. On second thought, she figured, she probably didn't look much better. Her hand was still cramped and sore from being practically glued to her hilt.

Asuna nodded, suddenly feeling exhausted and too tired to argue about who should shower first. She took quick showers anyway, so it shouldn't be an issue...

"It's the first left after I go upstairs, right?" Asuna asked, moving toward the stairs.

Ayaka nodded. "You got it!"

Asuna nodded, then left, padding silently toward the stairs.

Sighing, Ayaka wondered what to do. She didn't dare sit on the couch and watch television, covered in blood and guts like this, so she settled for staring at the fridge forlornly. She was so dirty she couldn't even make food, and she was starving...

(W.W.A.M.)

Kaede was surveying the bodies littering the ground when she felt Mana come up behind her. A second later, and Mana's lithe body was pressed against her own, the raven-haired warrior's hands encircling her waist. Almost immediately, the transfer of souls began, and Kaede's body was flooded with power. Her thoughts, which were lingering on Mana's touch, immediately changed, focusing instead on how to contain the massive influx of demonic power.

"Can you handle it?" Mana asked softly, mouth near her ear. Kaede cleared her throat, then nodded wordlessly. Knowing Mana cared was enough to boost her resolve, and within moments had the demonic power sealed away.

"When you feel confident enough, you will take over the gathering, purification, and distribution of souls." Mana said, releasing her grip on Kaede and moving away. "I'll do it for the next couple of battles, but you must be prepared to take over when the time comes. You're a relatively new Master, but you must gain control over these things as soon as possible."

Kaede nodded, her eyes giving Mana a once-over. The warrior had an incredibly efficient killing style, and there was barely any sign of spilled blood. There were a few specks on Mana's hands, but that was pretty much it, Kaede noted.

Herself, however, did not fare so well. There were a few stains on her clothing despite her weapon preference being long range, and she had to admit, some of it was her own.

Her shoulder ached at the thought, and she hoped that it would go unnoticed by Mana, given the rest of the bloodstains that adorned her clothing.

She tilted her head up to the sky, noting the late hour. Hopefully, she could claim fatigue and slip away to tend to her wound soon...

"It's getting late." Mana spoke, noting Kaede's gaze. "If you have things to do, our business is done here. Otherwise, I would suggest you accompany me back to my home so I can fix your wound."

Kaede stiffened, caught off guard by Mana's astute observations. Cursing silently to herself, she avoided Mana's gaze.

"I..."

There was hesitation. Mana raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Even in the dark, her sharp eyes could see the embarrassment flitting across Kaede's face.

"I'm fine. Thank you for your offer. I must be going now, I...have somewhere to be."  
With that, Kaede turned and walked away, trying not to show how much she favoured her injured right shoulder as she did.

Mana's eyes fell to the concrete below her feet, and jumped from blood spot to blood spot, leading in the direction that Kaede was walking.

"You're fine, eh?" She muttered. "Alright, then. Be stubborn. See how far it gets you."

Mana stood where she was, breathing the cool night air and gazing at the stars, until she figured that about ten minutes had passed. She didn't bother to glance at her phone to confirm her guess; instead, she picked out the seemingly black blood stains adorning the darkened concrete, and began following them. She of course knew where Kaede's house was, even though the girl herself didn't know that, but she decided to see just how far the blood stains would lead her.

With silent footfalls, the red-eyed girl followed her Master.

(W.W.A.M.)

Kaede grimaced to herself as she released her right shoulder long enough to twist the door handle of her front door, pushing it open. Stepping inside, she kicked the door closed with her foot and blood steamed steadily down from her shoulder, the pain having increased ten-fold since she had left Mana standing on the sidewalk. Not that she didn't want her Warrior to patch her up, it just didn't seem right. Not only should the Master be more experienced, taking care of her Warrior, but it just seemed like she was more of a burden than anything else to Mana. Getting patched up on top of it seemed a little excessive. Mana was a woman of few words, preferring to speak only when necessary, but Kaede had a feeling that if pressed for an answer, Mana would admit that she could care less about Kaede, and had only offered her help because she simply needed her.

_It explains why she's so interested in finding this Setsuna character._ Kaede thought, moving to the kitchen. With some difficulty, she pulled off her shirt, dropping it to the floor. The motion made her grunt in pain; raising her arm above her head was incredibly painful, given that the wound was to her shoulder and any flexing or motion that pulled at her skin sent a wave of fire burning through her body.

_If she can find Setsuna, who supposedly is still living even after the loss of her partner, then she can learn how to accomplish that task, and be done with me._

Not that Kaede was convinced Mana would do anything that would result in her death, but if Mana could fight on her own, then Kaede was sure she would be very interested in how to do that.

The struggle to remove her shirt had retorn part of her wound, and now blood spattered freely from her shoulder, running down her arm and dripping from her elbow onto the floor.

Cursing softly, she jumped up onto the counter, letting her legs dangle freely as she tore a piece of paper towel from the roll and slapped it on her wound.

Now that she had some time to think about it, she realized she knew next to nothing about healing wounds like this. Not to mention, the adrenaline from battle was beginning to fade, and the pain was increasing. If it continued, it would be intolerable after much longer.

Gritting her teeth, she decided to swallow her pride and give Mana a call.

Long bangs falling into her eyes, she didn't notice a figure step silently into the kitchen as she pulled her phone from her pocket.

Clicking through the contacts in her phone, she was oblivious as the intruder moved closer. That is, until a hand grabbed her cell phone, almost causing her to have a heart attack.

"WHAT THE F-"

"Who're you calling this late at night?" Mana asked, her voice low.

Kaede had jumped backward, leaning back on her hands and breathing heavily as she stared wide-eyed at Mana, the pain in her arm intensifying at the sudden pressure.

"Uhh..."

Mana moved closer, one hand on Kaede's knee gently spreading her legs until she could slip between them.

"Come here." She instructed.

Hesitantly, Kaede leaned forward until she was inches away from Mana, a dark, uncontrollable blush spreading across her cheeks. Mana either didn't notice, or she ignored it though, as she gently peeled away the blood soaked paper towel and excamined the wound.

"Trying to hide such a wound is incredibly stupid." Mana said softly, gaze drawn to the smooth skin of Kaede's breasts. The black bra she wore only helped accentuate the curves of her voluptuous breasts, and before she was caught, she quickly returned her gaze to the wound.

Kaede's head dipped in shame, and Mana 'tsk'ed gently.

"I can't have you getting hurt and not telling me, Kaede. You're an important member, and you need to be in top fighting form if you're going to be useful."

"Where do you keep your first aid kit?" Mana asked quietly. "I'll take care of you."

"In the bathroom, under the sink." She softly replied. "Down the hall there, second door on the right."

Mana glanced one more time at the wound, then raised her eyes to Kaede's reddened face before turning around and disappearing.

When Mana was out of sight, Kaede sighed, and rubbed her hands together slowly. This was exactly the situation she was hoping to avoid. The heat wouldn't fade from her face for a week, probably. Why hadn't she locked the door behind her?

Oh yeah, she thought. Her shoulder was pouring blood.

Another sigh. Tonight was going to be a long night.

A/N: Please forgive any mistakes. A few notes; I've decided to take a different approach with the usually confident, powerful, self-assured Kaede. She will eventually become such, but the journey will be lengthy. Also, as chapters go on, the plot, or point, of this story will become more evident, and more things will be explained. Reviews are always appreciated, and seeing as this is my week off of work (I work eight days straight, and get six days off), I hope to have at least another chapter or two posted before i disappear from the internet for another eight days. Also, as with most of my stories, the themes tend to center around feelings and emotions. This story is no exception, and the theme for this story will center around humility, acceptance, loyalty, love, loss, and desire. Thank you for reading, and I hope this fic pleases.


	5. Ch 4, Resilience

_Warrior Without A Master_

Chapter 4: Resilience

A/N: I normally use WordPad for all my writing, which is awesome because it doesn't auto-correct or auto-capitalize, forcing me to proof-read like a boss. Obviously, though, mistakes still slip through. However, for this chapter, I'm taking OpenOffice for a test-drive, mainly for the word-count feature that the simplistic WordPad does not possess. What I've noticed immediately is that the spacing is slightly different, and I apologize if this comes off as one massive block of text with no spaces that make it incredibly difficult to read. I've gotten used to how alters WordPad's documents, but I have no idea what their formatting will do to this document to alter the final appearance. Reviews are appreciated, let me know what you think, both about the format that may or may not be useful, and about the chapter itself.

Setsuna sat up from her bed, sighing softly. It was her second night constrained to the damned bed, and she was beginning to get restless. Her wounds had mostly healed, and she was itching to get back out and fight.

Sparing a glance at the clock beside her bed, she noted the hour. Nine-thirty at night. Tomorrow, she was going hunting whether Asuna approved or not. Swinging her legs over the edge of her bed, she stood slowly. Her legs were shaky at first, but the trembling swiftly subsided. The pain in her back was almost non-existent, save for the stiffness and soreness that came from being bed-ridden for so long.

She hummed softly. Maybe she would go for a walk later tonight, try to walk off some of the muscle stiffness.

Heading down the stairs at the end of the hall, she found herself face to face with her room mate, Asuna.

"Hey, did I wake you?" Asuna asked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she peered up at Setsuna.

Setsuna shook her head as she side-stepped the girl, dropping from the last step onto the landing and putting them roughly equal in height.

"No, I was just feeling restless, so I decided to get up." She replied softly. "Are you heading to bed?"

Asuna smiled. "No, not right now. Ayaka just texted me, so I'm gonna get ready and go over to her house for a bit."

"Ayaka? That human of yours?" Setsuna raised an eyebrow.

A sigh from the red-headed warrior as she put her foot on the first step of the stairs.

"I don't know why you insist on saying it like that." She said, irritation creeping into her tone.

"What do you mean?" Setsuna asked, puzzled.

"Every time you say 'human', it just seems like you're...saying it with a tone of disgust, as if you're somehow above them."

Setsuna shrugged. "It's what they are." She said softly. "I'll call them by name. They are humans, Asuna."

"Then what are you?" Asuna retorted.

A sad smile crossed Setsuna's face, her eyes looking at Asuna but not seeing her as a faraway look invaded her chocolate orbs.

"I don't know, but some days it feels like I'm just a mistake." She whispered.

"Se-" Asuna started, reaching out toward her friend.

Setsuna brushed her off, and headed toward the kitchen, her head bowed.

"Go to your human's house, Asuna. I'll be okay." She mumbled, suddenly straightening up and shaking her head.

Asuna hesitated, clearly torn between her Master and her friend, until Setsuna made the decision for her.

"I'm probably just gonna lay down anyway; I don't seem to be feeling well and I'm obviously in a bad mood. I'll be able to fall asleep easier if you're out, okay? Don't worry, I'll be fine." Setsuna lied.

"If you're sure..." Asuna mumbled.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. Have fun, okay?"

Asuna mumbled something incoherent, then began climbing the stairs.

When Setsuna heard her reach the top of the stairs, she let out the sigh she'd been holding, then ran her hand through her razor straight black hair as she leaned against the counter, looking around. She wanted to go for a walk, but figured she'd probably eat something first. She hadn't had anything decent in a day or so, and her stomach was growling ever so insistently. Moving toward the refrigerator, she felt an empty spot at her side where her sword usually resided. Pulling open the door to the stainless steel appliance, she bowed down and began rummaging through the contents. Although physically starved, stomach growling at her and sending the occasional spike of pain through her abdomen, there was nothing here that really appealed to her. The plethora of fruit and vegetables she usually sustained herself with, coupled with the random choice of chicken or fish didn't seem as appetizing; nothing called out to her and made her want to eat.

After fixing the interior of the fridge with a blank stare for a few more minutes, she sighed and straightened up.

She knew exactly what she wanted. Apple pie.

Where the hell was she gonna get it this late at night...?

She glanced at the clock on the stove, then realized it wasn't quite as late as she had thought. The major grocery store chain in town was open until midnight tonight.

Grabbing her keys from the hook hanging on the wall, she walked toward the bottom of the stairs.

"Asuna!" She yelled, not wanting to trudge back up the stairs just to talk to her roommate.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to the store. I got my keys so lock up when you leave, okay?"

"Okay!"

With that brief exchange, Setsuna turned and moved toward the door. A glance out the window showed fair weather despite being pitch black out; no rain, and judging from the lack of movement of the tree branches outside, no wind either.

Slipping into her shoes, she left the house, making sure the door was shut firmly behind her. She felt a bit naked without her weapon, but reminded herself that she wasn't out looking for a fight tonight.

_'I'd probably get schooled again, anyway.' _She thought bitterly, turning in the direction of the grocery store. She slowed her footsteps until her footsteps were near silent against the pavement, not liking the noise she made in the silence of the night.

Sighing, she bowed her head slightly and stared at the ground as it disappeared under her feet, shoving her hands in her pocket as she concentrated on what she was doing wrong in battle that was causing her severe losing streak. Maybe her technique was wrong? Or was she not strong enough? The answer was out there somewhere, she just had to find it. She had never performed so terribly before, and it was going to cost her her life if she wasn't careful.

Deep in thought, she didn't even realize when she entered a semi-familiar neighbourhood.

(W.W.A.M)

Kaede shifted uncomfortably on her bed, sitting near the end of it and leaning against the wall with a book in her lap. She was trying unsuccessfully to read it's contents, a certain raven-haired warrior responsible for the impossibility of the task.

Kaede snuck another glance at Mana from the corner of her eye. The girl was leaning against the wall perpendicular to hers, against the headboard of her bed. She too had a book in her lap, but appeared deeply entranced by it, seemingly having none of the problems concentrating that Kaede had.

Mana had suggested that they study for a bit, focusing on something that wasn't work-related for once.

Returning her gaze to her book, she pretended to study as she thought back to how she had become part of this confusing situation.

_Kaede turned down the side road, taking a well-used shortcut to the park. It was nearing eight o'clock at night, and the sky was darkening swiftly, yet she had felt no desire to return home. She had completed all her homework in class, leaving her free to go running in the evening as she always did. She liked to blame it on her height, but knew that it really had no effect on her energy levels. When her friends asked her what she always did every evening, she jokingly replied that she had to go running every night stretch herself back out from being cramped in a chair all day and hunched over a desk, doing work. Truthfully, her energy always seemed to peak in the evening, a few hours after her last meal of the day, and she was an outdoorsy person by nature, so the urge to go outside and do something was overwhelming and not something she ever considered suppressing. _

_Crossing a barren street, she walked through an unlocked gate into a grassy field that was part of the neighbourhood park. The park had a few signs around it stating that it was closed from ten P.M., to six A.M., and she was usually gone by nine thirty at the latest, but the few times she had stayed until almost midnight, she hadn't suffered any consequences._

_She slowed now, inhaling deeply to catch her breath as she decreased her speed to a walk. She pointed herself in the direction of the playground equipment, carefully stepping over the black plastic barrier that separated the sand filled box from the grass. Moving over to one of the swings, she gently sat down and began lazily swinging back and forth. _

_Raising her eyes to the blackened sky, she began searching out stars, finding the small pinpricks of light in the blanket of darkness. _

_Her breathing eventually returned to normal, and in the sudden silence, her ears seemed pick up every whisper of wind through the grass, every distant honking of a horn. It was eerily quiet around her, and for a minute she felt as if she were the only person left on the face of the earth._

_Then a shiver passed through her body as she wondered what it would be like if she weren't the only person in this park._

_Realizing she was creeping herself out, she glanced around herself just to be sure. Her imagination was too vivid sometimes, and her eyes began searching every extra dark corner she could find, focusing on the school in the distance and what could be hiding inside it, staring back at her._

_The wind whistled through her hair, and she shook her head. She was just being stupid now, she thought. There was no mysterious creature lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce on her when she wasn't looking._

_She didn't believe in that stuff._

_At least, she didn't, up until she heard the distant growl. Hair standing up on the back of her neck, she jumped off the swing and stood stock still in the sand, looking around, eyes as wide as possible to let in as much ambient light as she could. _

_After a moment, when it seemed nothing was moving, and she had simply imagined the noise, she was about to return to her seat on the swing. Except the wind carried another screaming growl to her ears, and she knew there was no way she was imagining it. If only she could figure out where it was coming from..._

_She cleared her throat quietly, reaching up to brush her hair from her eyes. She was a rational girl. She could certainly figure out the cause of the noise that seemed to be egging on her over-active imagination. Licking her lips, she began walking toward the school, where she had thought she heard the noise coming from._

_Her mouth twitched into a half smile, as she realized, this was what she had always shaken her head at. Any time her and her friends sat down to watch a horror movie, she had always shaken her head, and said, 'Stay away from the noise, it can only end badly!'_

_Now, she had a streak of disbelief mixed in with the uneasyness as he approached the dark building. After all, this was no movie. This was reality, and in reality...it was probably a bunch of kids trying to scare her. Was she really going to run away from that?_

_She was in her last year of high school, and there was no way she was a coward. _

_She glanced to her right, where a busy roadway ran parallel to the park, and she was assured that nothing serious could happen. Reality, right? Things were boring in real life. _

_Her feet swished almost noiselessly through the freshly cut grass, and then it abruptly ended as she came to the pavement surrounding the school. She reached out, pressing a hand against the cool brick cloaked in darkness, then looked up at the crescent moon high above her head. It was merely a sliver, and didn't give off much light, but it was reassuring nonetheless._

_Another noise, indistinguishable now, rode the breeze to her ears, and she turned to the right. She began walking along the side of the building, heading toward the back. This must be where the commotion was._

_Suddenly, she stopped. Why did she care? Was it any of her business what a bunch of kids were doing behind the school making silly noises?_

_A moment's hesitation, then she continued. Her mind was just trying to rationalize running away, she knew. She had set some silly goal for herself, and to run away now would annoy her to no end. _

_Reaching the end of the wall, she stopped. Taking a deep breath, she thought about what she would see when she rounded the corner. A bunch of silly kids._

_Exhaling softly, she rounded the corner of the building._

_Whatever she expected to see, it wasn't this. _

_The rear wall of the school had streaks of blood across it, and the red liquid soaked the ground, running off into the grass. There were no bodies though, and for a second, she stood there frozen as her imagination ran away with the possibilities of how so much blood could be sprayed across the school wall. _

_Feeling her stomach flip uncomfortably, She swallowed nervously, before backing up a few steps. Turning around, she wondered if this would be a good time to run away. She never should have came here, she should have just went home, an-_

_Suddenly, dark mass thudded into the concrete in front of her, blood erupting from it's broken body and splashing onto her clothes. Surprised, and terrified at the feel of blood on her skin, Kaede jumped back, screaming out of shock and reflex. It didn't last long though, as someone grabbed her from behind, a firm grasp on her mouth to smother her screams._

_Instantly, she began struggling, elbowing whoever was behind her and thrashing with all of her might. Fearing for her life, she tried her best to bite down on the hand across her mouth, but she couldn't as the hand held her jaw closed with near inhuman strength._

"_Shut up." A voice whispered in her ear. "Stop struggling, or I'll knock you out."_

_The threat of violence only made her redouble her efforts, and suddenly there was an arm around her throat. Her attacker merely flexed their bicep, the muscle pushing into her neck and putting a clamp on bloodflow to her brain. Within seconds, she began to feel lightheaded, and the strength faded from her muscles. She began to feel her heartbeat pounding inside her head, and the edges of her vision went blacker than she thought possible. Pinpricks of light exploded behind her eyes, and she gasped ineffectually for air. Just when she thought she was going to pass out, she was released._

_Falling to her hands and knees, she gasped breath after breath, not even realizing her close proximity to the dead body in front of her. All she could think about was how nice it was to be able to breathe again, even as fear and terror coursed through her veins. When she regained her senses, she jolted up as if shocked, and spun around to confront her attacker._

"_Who in the fu-" She was once again cut off as her attacker, clad in blue jeans and a black pullover sweater, hood up to conceal their face, pressed forward and clamped a hand over her mouth._

"_Shut the fuck up if you want to live." Her attacker growled, and Kaede recognized the voice as distinctly female._

_Wide-eyed, she could only nod, heart hammering in her chest as she hoped against hope for a way out of this situation._

_That slim hope seemed to disappear before her eyes though, as her attacker pushed against her, forcing her to stumble backward until she was pressed up against the wall of the school. Her attacker pressed her body close to hers, hand still firmly pressed against her mouth, head bowed until it was resting on Kaede's shoulder._

_Several tense moments passed by, until Kaede's attacker lifted her head from Kaede's shoulder, and stepped back, putting some space between them. Slowly, she removed her hand from Kaede's mouth, bringing a finger to her lips as she pulled back her hood with the other hand. _

"_Shh..." The sound was nearly inaudible, though the gesture was plain as day._

_Kaede nodded numbly, feeling like a mute. _

_Another moment of silence, then the raven-haired, dark-skinned girl seemed to visibly relax._

"_Sorry about that, Kaede. You can never be too careful when they're around."_

_The girl still spoke in a hushed whisper, and Kaede forced her mind to restart, frozen from fear. She blinked, then examined the girl who knew her name carefully. It was hard to make out details, with her face cast in shadow, but after a second, recognition flashed across Kaede's face._

"_M-Mana?" Kaede whispered. "What the hell are you doing?"_

_Mana glanced around uneasily._

"_This is no place to talk." She said tersely. "Come with me, I'll explain."_

"_Go where?" Kaede asked, suspicious of following this girl anywhere._

"_Trust me, they'll be back, and I don't want to be here when they do."_

"_Who'll be back?"_

"_I'll explain later." Mana said. She reached out and grabbed Kaede's hand._

"_Follow me. Leave this place for tonight, or I promise you, you'll regret it."_

_Reluctantly, Kaede followed along. She wanted to know more about what had happened, and if the twisted, blackened disfigured body laying on the ground in a pool of blood was any indication, then Mana was at least correct about her not wanting to be there anymore._

"Do I make you nervous?" Mana asked suddenly, looking up from her book.

Kaede started, jerked from her thoughts. She blinked, then shook her head when she realized that Mana was expecting an answer to her question.

"N-No, you don't. Why do you ask?"

"Either you're not really studying because you're lost in thought and worrying about something, and judging by the frequent glances you've been throwing my way, you're worrying about something that involves me, or..." Mana trailed off, then leaned forward to look at Kaede's book.

"...The Table of Contents is extremely interesting, having garnered your attention for the last forty-five minutes."

At that, a blush spread across Kaede's cheeks.

"W-well, not exactly..." She mumbled.

"What is it?" Mana asked curiously, closing her book.

"Nothing, really."

"Well, I gotta admit Kaede, I don't believe that..."

There was silence for a moment, then Kaede looked up at her, brushing her lengthy bangs aside.

"Is...is it normal for a Master to still be so useless even after two months?" She asked, losing confidence halfway through and shifting her gaze to the bed.

Mana stared at Kaede for a moment, then shrugged.

"Honestly, I don't know." Mana said. "You're my first partner."

Kaede glanced at her out of the corner of her eye once more.

"I'm...your first?" The confusion was evident in her voice.

Mana nodded. "Yeah. See, unlike Setsuna, who took a partner, then had that partner die on her, and is somehow still living, I just never took one in the first place. When I was...created, I was told that it would be in my best interest to find a good partner as soon as possible." Her dark red eyes slid down Kaede's body distractedly.

"I just...didn't want to put someone unwilling in the position of being responsible for my life, and vice versa. Plus, I kind of liked working by myself."

"So I messed that up, didn't I?" Kaede asked softly.

Mana nodded. "Yeah, you did."

Kaede was silent, biting her lip.

"But it's okay. When you happened upon my exterminating some demons, it was nobody's fault. And once you knew, the only option besides taking you as a partner was to turn you into a warrior yourself. Despite it being no one's fault that you got involved, I sorta felt responsible, so instead of turn you into someone like me, I made you my Master."

"You shouldn't be responsible for me." Kaede replied, looking up at Mana.

Mana smiled softly.

"However, I am. Nothing can change that now. And you, are responsible for me. It's just the way things go. We both may not like it, but I'm willing to make the best of it. I hope you will too."

Kaede nodded slowly.

"You're my first partner. I don't really know how these things fully work yet, but help me help you. The better we work together, the better off we both will be, you know?"

Kaede nodded once more.

"Good. If you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them, but I'm still learning myself."

"How did all of this begin?" Kaede asked, picking at a thread on her blanket.

"All of this? I have no idea. Myself? I began about two years ago. I was normal, like you were before you found me." Mana said. "I'll save my story for another time, but suffice to say I'm not the first in the line of Warriors, nor will I be the last."

"What's the reasoning behind slaughtering these demons? What's the point?" Kaede asked.

Mana smiled wolfishly. "The point? It's simple. The world needs to be saved, and someone's gotta do it. Every human possesses a soul. Demons feed on souls. We protect the humans, and slaughter demons. Technically, it's very uncomplicated, although realistically, it goes much deeper than that. When I fully understand it, I'll let you know."

Kaede laughed, shaking her head. "It all still seems so unreal. Does it ever end?"

Mana shrugged. "From what I know, it never ends. The battle, I mean. There will always be demons, and there will always be those who fight them. For us though, the battle ends one of two ways. We either die, or we slaughter one hundred thousand demons, and get set free."

"One hundred thousand demons? Is that why you keep track of how many we kill?"

Mana nodded slowly. "I don't know if there's any truth to it, or if it's just designed to motivate as much demon killing as possible, but I'll be damned if I die before I get the chance to live a normal life again."

"I...see..."

Mana shrugged. "There's more to it, but it's not really important, and it will come up on it's own. Right now, though, I think I'd best take my leave. It's getting late, and we have school tomorrow."

With that, Mana swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and stood. Looking down at Kaede, she simply stared for a moment with those entrancing red eyes, holding Kaede's wintry steel-colored gaze. After a moment, Mana looked away.

"See you at school tomorrow." She said. With that, she disappeared on silent feet.

(W.W.A.M.)

Setsuna stopped, forgetting that she was on her way home with her apple pie. Gazing up at the house, she felt her back tense up at the memory of falling through the window and hitting the floor with bone-shattering force. Her head still hurt at the thought of it, and she couldn't help but wince as she saw the clear plastic stretched across the still-shattered window.

"I wonder if that girl can afford to fix it...?" She asked herself. Guilt flashed through her at the thought of a storm tearing that flimsy plastic off the window and filling the house with rainwater, and she wondered what she could do about it. Maybe come back here tomorrow and talk to her...?

It was worth a try, she supposed. Although she'd probably have to dodge a lot of difficult to answer questions.

Deciding that she would indeed stop over tomorrow, she turned and made to continue walking down the sidewalk. Looking up, she came to a dead stop, before she had even taken a step.

About ten feet in front of her, stood a brown-haired girl, clutching a bag to her chest and staring at her, wide-eyed with a scared expression on her face.

A/N: Well, here's another chapter. Little more explained, so hopefully things will get less confusing as time goes on. Yes, there will be more characters than the ones solely introduced, probably starting next chapter or the one after that.


	6. Ch 5, Fear

_Warrior Without A Master_

Chapter 5: Fear

Setsuna blinked, then her eyebrows furrowed in temporary confusion.

"You're...that girl!" Setsuna said. "From that...this house!" She turned, pointing toward the house she was standing in front of. Surprise was written clear across her face, and as the wind rustled softly through her razor-straight bangs, tickling her nose, the surprise slowly reverted back to confusion. The chocolate-haired girl - hair and eyes almost black in the low ambience of the night - took a hesitant step backward, wide eyes never leaving her face.

"A-are you okay...Setsuna?" The girl stuttered, visibly trembling now.

"You remembered my name?" Setsuna replied, raising a slender eyebrow in disbelief.

Slowly, the girl took a few hesitant steps forward, hands tightening around the bag she was clutching to her chest. Nervousness was written clearly across her face, as if Setsuna would somehow harm her when she got close enough, and Setsuna couldn't hide the smirk that flashed across her face at that idea.

When the timid girl reached Setsuna, she paused. Slowly, she reached out and ever so gently brushed Setsuna's bangs away from her forehead. Underneath was the barest signs of a gash that was almost healed, the skin still pink and tender to the touch, yet would be almost gone in a few more days. Konoka looked from the healing injury on her forehead into Setsuna's obsidian orbs, catching her breath as the slightly shorter girl looked up at her, eyes widened slightly.

"I-is your back...?"

Setsuna nodded wordlessly, looking up slightly at the taller girl.

"Can I look...to make sure?"

A second's silence, before Setsuna relented. Turning around slowly, she carefully set down her apple pie and grasped the hem of her shirt. Hiking it up to chest level, she felt an embarrassing heat flood through her cheeks, reaching the tip of her ears as she glanced over her shoulder at Konoka.

The girl didn't notice however; she was bent over slightly, examining the healing wounds carefully, a grimace of sympathetic pain curling her upper lip ever so slightly.

"I'm glad you're okay. These look so painful..." She murmured. "Hey, what are these...?"

Gingerly, Konoka reached out, tenderly running a finger down one of two identical diagonal lines following the curve of her shoulder blades.

Setsuna's eyes widened at the unexpectedly ticklish touch, and she pulled away quickly, spinning around and pulling her shirt down as she tried to avoid tripping herself up in her attempt to not step on her apple pie.

"Th-that's a...special, ticklish spot." Setsuna said, looking away as heat filled her face.

"Oh...sorry..." Konoka mumbled. She looked down at her shoes, which had suddenly become fascinating, as she tried to ignore how hot Setsuna's skin had felt underneath her fingertips. Her fingers were still warm...

"I should...go now." Setsuna said softly. When Konoka looked up at her, Setsuna was rubbing the back of her neck and licking her lips.

"O-of course." Konoka stepped to the side, giving room for Setsuna to walk past. Setsuna reached down and picked up her bag, then, sparing a single glance at Konoka, took her leave.

Konoka watched her walk away, and Setsuna was almost out of sight before she could find her voice once more.

"Wait, Setsuna!"

The girl stopped, then lazily looked over her shoulder, raven hair cascading down her back in a silky waterfall.

"Yeah?"

"Can...can I see you again?"

Silence greeted Konoka's question, then the sound of Setsuna's sneakers scuffing against the pavement.

"Why?" She finally asked.

Konoka didn't have an answer for that, and after opening and closing her mouth a few times, she shrugged helplessly.

"I...just, I would like to. You seem like a nice person."

Setsuna shrugged, although she wasn't sure the gesture would have been caught at this range, in the darkness.

"I'll think about it." Was her reply. Hoping Konoka couldn't hear her strangely fast-beating heart, Setsuna continued walking.

* * *

Asuna was just settling back into the comfortable couch next to Ayaka when her phone went off, lighting up and dancing across the coffee table. Sighing, Asuna stared tiredly at it, unwilling to get up and get it.

"Just ignore it for now." Ayaka said, seeing her expression. She pulled her legs up onto the couch and tucked her feet underneath herself, pulling a blanket across her lap as she returned her gaze to the television.

A sigh from the red-head beside her. "Eh, this late, it's either Setsuna or Konoka, so I should get it either way." She replied. Making it seem much more challenging than it really was, Asuna hauled herself up and leaned forward, snatching her phone from the table before falling back onto the couch, flipping open the small device.

"Who was it?" Ayaka asked curiously, running a hand through her golden tresses.

"Konoka." Asuna grinned.

"Ah." Was her only reply.

"Seems she ran into someone interesting a few minutes ago." She said, chuckling.

"Like who?" Ayaka asked, curiously.

"Setsuna, that girl I'm rooming with. Long story short, A few days ago, Setsuna got her ass kicked, and ended up on the floor of Konoka's room, torn to pieces. Rather than accept help, Setsuna fled back to our place, where I fixed her up. Apparently, just a little while ago, Konoka ran into her on the street outside her house."

"You should introduce them." Ayaka said. "Setsuna sounds like she could use another friend, from everything you've told me about her."

Asuna hummed softly, staring at her phone. "Maybe. I'll see if I can get Setsuna to go for it." She said. "Tomorrow, though."

"Tomorrow." Ayaka agreed, smiling. Leaning over, she pressed herself up against Asuna, feeling the girl stiffen slightly before relaxing almost immediately. Asuna had grown used to Ayaka's touchy behaviour, and although sometimes the blonde did things that made her slightly uncomfortable, she knew she would stop at nothing to make her Master happy.

"This is where you put your arm around me." The blonde whispered, nuzzling Asuna's arm with her cheek. Obliging, Asuna slipped her arm around Ayaka's shoulders and pulled her close, eyes fixed on the television as she tried to ignore how eagerly Ayaka pressed herself closer.

It wasn't until ten minutes later, when ignoring Ayaka became slightly more difficult, as the blonde casually yawned, stretching and moaning softly. When she returned to laying on Asuna's side, she casually let her hand land on Asuna's stomach. After a few minutes, she began tracing lazy circles on Asuna's stomach through her shirt, gently hiking up the fabric until her fingertips were dancing across bare skin.

Unsure of what to do, Asuna kept her gaze pinned to the television. Thankfully, that was as far as Ayaka seemed to want to go for now, and the slightly ticklish touches were actually kind of relaxing.

She didn't realize just how relaxing it was until she was slowly nodding off, Ayaka's teasing fingertips having changed to her entire hand rubbing comforting circles around Asuna's stomach. Reveling in the feel of Asuna's soft skin barely concealing hardened muscle beneath, Ayaka didn't realize Asuna had fallen asleep until the girl jerked awake, stifling a yawn.

"Tired?" Ayaka asked, smiling, as she reluctantly withdrew her hand. Asuna nodded, yawning again. This time, tears formed in the corners of her eyes, and Ayaka giggled as Asuna tried to inconspicuously wipe them away.

"I should probably go home." Asuna said. However, she made no move to get up, suddenly finding herself quite comfortable with the warmth that was Ayaka gently pressed up against her.

"Mmm..._should._" Ayaka said. "Although if you don't have to, then you could probably stay here..."

Asuna cracked open one eye to look at Ayaka, who was smiling innocently at her, before shutting it and snuggling deeper into Ayaka's embrace.

"I'll think about it." Asuna said softly.

Ayaka carefully readjusted her position so she was more comfortably pressed against her favourite red-head, then pulled the blankets over them both. Reaching for the remote, she muted the television, then closed her eyes. A smile graced her face as she doubted that Asuna would be going anywhere tonight.

* * *

Setsuna was awoken the next morning by the sound of her cell phone vibrating across her bedside table. Immediately, she knew who it was. She didn't have that many friends to begin with, and considering Asuna didn't come home last night, it could only be the vibrant red-head. What she wanted though, was beyond her. Rolling over, she reached out and snatched up her phone from the table. Laying on her back, she gazed up at her phone with sleepy eyes. Sure enough, it was Asuna who had texted her.

_Hey, I don't care what you're doing today, come to the school around lunch time. There's someone I want you to meet._

Setsuna sighed, wondering if Asuna was really that desperate to get her to take a partner that she was reduced to blind dates.

_I won't take a Master, Asuna. Forget about it._ She replied. Sighing, she decided to check her mail.

There wasn't anything interesting in there, she decided, and was about to set her phone down, when it vibrated again, signalling Asuna's reply.

_This has nothing to do with a Master. Just come by and say hi to me, at least, if nothing else. We both know you aren't doing anything better today anyway._

Setsuna stared at her phone, trying to think of a sarcastic response. Unable to think of anything, she decided that she might as well humor Asuna.

_Fine, I'll stop by around noon._

Sending the message, Setsuna was about to roll over and toss her phone back on the bedside table when it slipped from her sleep-weakened grasp. Unable to react in time, she could only squeeze her eyes closed as her Samsung SIII landed on her face, sliding off and tumbling onto the floor.*

Cursing softly to herself, she sat up and leaned over the edge of the bed to retrieve her phone. Checking the screen for cracks, she was relieved to find none. Setting it on the edge of the bed, she swung her legs over the edge and sat up fully, sighing. She wondered if she could get away with getting into a fight before heading out to see Asuna.

Standing up, she yawned, stretching as she looked out the window above her bed. It was still early; couldn't be later than seven in the morning. Eyes sliding to her sword leaning against the wall, she felt the old familiar feeling of excitement coursing through her at the thought of slashing demons to pieces.

Moving toward the closet, she wondered what her outfit of the day would be.

A/N: (*) I cannot count the number of times I've woken up, laying in bed, checking reviewsor text messages, and the phone slips right out of my hand, smacks me in the face, and lands on the floor. It's really annoying. .

Anyway, one of those necessary filler chapters where not much happens, but next chapter, Setsuna and Konoka get a proper introduction to each other. Also, Kaede and Mana show up next chapter, to make up for them not being in this chapter.


	7. Ch 6, Reintroduction

_Warrior Without A Master_

Chapter 6: Reintroduction

A/N: Yes, I did slightly alter the appearance of the new character introduced at the end of this chapter. Yes, I did it for my own tastes and purposes, and no, it doesn't have any significant meaning related to plot. Enjoy!

Setsuna almost felt bad, cavorting through such puny demons with relative ease; however, as one nearly buried his claws in her stomach, she felt her pity desolve as she smashed it in the throat with the pommel of her sword, the small metal end cap also known as the kashira. Today, she had specifically targeted a weak group of demons, intending on trying out a new fighting style. So far it was working for her, she noted as she severed the head from the demon before it could recover from her previous attack. So far, there wasn't a single drop of blood on her clothing, and she had already slain her third demon.

Whether it was due to her new fighting style, or their relative weakness, she didn't know, but she was already noticing some benefits to her altered attacks. With her new-found grace and poise, the demons were kept further at bay, unable to reach her and wound her as easily. It was a finesse to her sword fighting that she should have obtained long ago, she thought, easily guarding against a downward strike. She would probably be better off because of it.

Sword slicing easily through the last remaining demon, Setsuna carefully wiped off her blade on a strip of rag wrapped around her sheath, then discarded the scrap of bloodied rag when her sword was clean. Sheathing her sword, she wiped away the sweat from her brow, the mild exertion she had worked up. The sun was shining high in the sky, and she looked up at the cloudless blue sky as she felt her wings fighting to unfold from her back. Adrenaline coursed through her body as she struggled to keep control over her impulses; she didn't need them for this battle no matter how badly she wanted to take to the skies.

Breathing deeply, she let her racing heart slow. Reaching into her pocket, she withdrew her cell phone, noting the time. She had a few minutes before she needed to be at the school. Giving herself a once-over, she smoothed out her clothing. It was a bit more difficult than she had anticipated, fighting in skin-tight jeans, although the white v-neck short sleeved shirt hadn't given her any trouble.

Slinging her sword over her shoulder, she began walking in the direction of the school she had graduated from last year, knowing Asuna wouldn't be very happy if she skipped out.

It didn't take long; soon she was standing out front with the light breeze ruffling her hair and whisking the last remains of sweat from her body. Licking her lips slowly, she scanned the throngs of people milling around the entrance to the school. Unable to find her roommate, she reached into her back pocket and pulled out her cell phone. Quickly dialing Asuna's number, she held the phone to her ear as she once again looked around.

The dialing tone sounded in her ear, then suddenly was replaced with a rapid beeping. Confused, she lowered the phone from her ear to look at the screen.

"What the-" She was cut off as a pair of arms suddenly encircled her shoulders, red hair clashing with her own dark strands as Asuna's giggling reached her ears.

"Hi Setsuna!" The girl said, releasing her grasp on the shorter girl as Setsuna swatted at her annoyedly. "I wasn't sure you were gonna come, that sure would have disappointed Konoka, here."

"Kono-who?" Setsuna asked, turning around to face Asuna.

Her eyes never quite made it that far, however, as they stopped, entranced by the girl at Asuna's side.

Before her stood the girl from last night; demure personality and all. Now, she stood with her hands clasped neatly in front of her, feet turned in slightly in embarrassment as she raised her head to meet Setsuna's surprised gaze.

"H-hello Setsuna. Nice to meet you." She said softly.

Setsuna couldn't answer for a second, but when she finally found her voice, it was a lot shakier than she would have liked.

"N-nice to meet you too...Konoka."

Konoka shuffled uncomfortably, her gaze leaving Setsuna's to stare at the ground. Setsuna, however, took this opportunity to study the other girl.

She stood tall, posture straight and correct. Her confidence seemed to be lacking though, head bowed slightly to allow her long dark chocolate locks to frame her face, hiding herself from Setsuna's studious gaze.

Her skin, revealed by her light blue t-shirt and below knee length cut-off jeans, looked creamy soft and unflawed, porcelain perfect in it's complexion. Her nails were trimmed neatly, with only a single coat of clear gloss to accent them, no fancy colors to attract unwanted attention.

She was wearing black sandals, and Setsuna noticed that her pedicured toes were just as immaculate as her hands, prompting a hum of approval from the winged warrior.

"I'm glad to see you're okay." Konoka said, raising her head to meet Setsuna's eyes as she brought up the topic from the night before.

Setsuna rolled her shoulders reflexively, shrugging. "Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better. Sorry about...your window, and stuff. If there's anything I can do to help fix it, I'll do my best."

Setsuna nervously ran her hands through her hair, wondering if she maybe should have tied it up. Did it look lazy when she wore it down, so obviously unstyled and uncared for?

Konoka tilted her head to the side ever so slightly, an almost imperceptible move, and then shook her head slowly.

"No, it's okay. I'll call around today after school to see if I can get it fixed."

Setsuna's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she realized this girl was far too polite to ask for the assistance she needed.

"No, I'll fix it. I'll stop by tonight and see what I can do about it. I'm by no means a skilled tradesperson, but...how hard can it be, right?"

There was a second's silence as Konoka contemplated her offer. It passed almost unnoticed as she immediately made up her mind.

"Okay. I'll get your number from you and text you when I get home, so you know when to come over. Sound good?"

Setsuna nodded uncomfortably. Hopefully, she thought, she didn't do so much damage that it would be irreparable.

"Wait, where did Asuna go?" Setsuna realized the red-head hadn't been beside them for the last few minutes, and she looked around, bewildered.

Konoka smiled softly. "She has some homework to catch up on." She reached up to brush a few traitorous strands of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear delicately before returning her hand to the position it occupied previous.

"She told me to tell you that she entrusts me in your care for the remainder of the lunch hour, and that she will text you when she gets into class."

Setsuna bit her lip, wondering what stunt the skilled swordswoman was up to now.

"Of course, I'm quite capable of taking care of myself," Konoka said, noticing her apprehension. "She just thought we could both use a new friend."

Setsuna shook her head. "It's okay, I have nothing else to do."

Choosing not to comment on Setsuna's poor choice of wording, Konoka merely smiled.

"Perhaps, you could walk me around the grounds and tell me a bit about yourself?" Konoka suggested, glancing sideways at the raven-haired girl as she fell into step beside her.

They walked slowly, Setsuna staring at her feet and contemplating what to tell her. Judging from Konoka's reaction to the shattered window, she had no idea that herself and Asuna were warriors. So that was out for conversation, Setsuna thought.

Sensing Setsuna's hesitation, Konoka offered to get the conversation started.

"So, how do you know Asuna?" Konoka asked, slightly slowing her pace to a more comfortable speed.

"Er..." Setsuna wasn't sure how to answer that one. "Common interest, I suppose."

"Ah, I see."

"Yeah." Setsuna rubbed her bare arm uncomfortably, sneaking a glance at the girl. If she was bored, she hadn't shown it yet.

"You?" Setsuna asked.

"I've known Asuna for a while now, we met in school. I was actually assigned to be her tutor for a couple subjects, because her marks were poor for a while."

Setsuna smirked. "Aren't they still poor?"

Konoka hummed softly. "Yes, but I've taught her everything she needs to know. Whether or not she applies it, is up to her. She was doing well at one point, but some secretive affair with Ayaka has brought her marks down a lot recently. I don't quite know what is taking up so much of her time and energy, but it's not good for her schooling."

Setsuna knew exactly what was taking up all of her time, but chose to remain silent. If Asuna wanted Konoka to know, she would have told her by now.

"Um, not that it's any of my business, but...what is that?" Konoka asked.

Dragged out of her thoughts, Setsuna looked up from her feet, a questioning look upon her features. Realizing Konoka was pointing at her, she looked down at herself, then, finding nothing, quickly understood that Konoka was gesturing to the sword hanging from her back.

"Oh. Oops."

"Oops?" Konoka mimicked. A smile played at her lips, showing her amusement at the dumbfounded expression on Setsuna's face.

"It's a...well, you know how Asuna's always occupied recently?" Setsuna asked rhetorically. "It's something to do with that. Nothing important, really."

"I see." Konoka said.

Setsuna wasn't sure if she really did see or not, but decided not to question it. Let the girl draw her own conclusions.

"How long is your lunch?" Setsuna asked, eager for a change of topic. "When I went here last year it was an hour, but there was talk of shortening it. Did they?"

Konoka nodded slowly. "Yes. it's forty minutes now, and each of our four classes are an extra ten minutes long, with school letting out an extra twenty minutes later than last year."

Setsuna grinned. "Glad I got out when I did, then."

Konoka shrugged. "For those of us who excel at our studies, it isn't so bad. For Asuna though..." She left the setence unfinished, letting Setsuna chuckle at the thought.

"Perhaps I should get your number now, in case I forget later?" Konoka asked.

Setsuna nodded, waiting for Konoka to fish out her BlackBerry before reciting her number from memory. A few seconds later, and her phone vibrated as Konoka sent her an empty message so Setsuna would have her number as well.

Slipping her phone back into her pocket, Konoka continued walking, slowly plodding along beside a now visibly relaxed Setsuna.

"So, what are those strange markings on your back?" Konoka asked.

A stiffening of her shoulders. Well, Konoka thought, she _was _relaxed.

"Ticklish spots." Was the only answer Setsuna offered, and Konoka decided that for now, it was good enough.

"You can ask questions too, you know. I won't bite." Konoka said quietly, glancing at Setsuna from the corners of her eyes.

A few seconds of silence passed between them, before Setsuna cleared her throat softly.

"Uh...did you ever get my blood out of your carpet?"

A soft giggle was the reply that Setsuna didn't expect, so she turned to look at Konoka with surprise written across her features.

"Yes, although it certainly took some decent scrubbing." Konoka laughed.

"Sorry about that..." Guilt was plain in her voice, but Konoka waved it off.

"I'll admit, I'm dying of curiosity to know what happened, but I'm sure if you were going to tell anyone, it wouldn't be someone you just met."

Setsuna shrugged. "It's...well, it's kina complicated. Besides, even if that particular incident had nothing to do with Asuna, overall it still involves her, so if she wanted you to know, I'm sure she would have told you."

Konoka nodded. "I understand. Everyone has secrets, right?"

Setsuna returned the affirmative gesture. _Some more than others._ She thought. _Some way more than others._

An alarm broke through her thoughts, and at first, thinking it was her own phone, Setsuna began patting her pockets. However, realizing she didn't recognize the tune, she looked over to Konoka, who was pulling her phone out of her pocket.

"Well, Setsuna, it's time for me to head back." She said. "Thank you for coming to spend time with me, I enjoyed it."

Setsuna nodded, stopping her slow walking pace to turn and face Konoka.

"Uh, yeah, I liked it too."

"I'll probably text you sometime tonight, if you're available, and hopefully we can see each other soon, okay?"

"Y-yeah, sounds good."

Another soft smile, barely curving her lips. "See you later, Setsuna."

Without waiting for an answer, Konoka waved, then turned around and began walking back toward the school. Head down, fingers flying across the keyboard of her phone, she quickened her pace so she wouldn't be late.

Setsuna merely stood there, watching the girl retreat back to the school. Sighing softly, she pulled out her own phone.

Only 12:30, and nothing left to do for the day. Damn. Wandering aimlessly toward the edge of the school property, she wondered what to do with the remainder of her day.

* * *

Humming an unknown tune softly to herself, a short, bespectacled woman sat in front of the mirror mounted on her dresser and slowly ran a brush through her long blonde hair. Pale yellow eyes assessed her appearance, which was as of right now, nearly naked. Her skin was still damp from her shower, and she stopped her slow methodical brushing only long enough to readjust the towel covering her chest.

Tilting her head slightly to the right, she allowed her hair to fall over one shoulder as she slowly ran the brush through it, drops of water flicking off the ends of her hair with each pass.

She was rather excited today, she thought. After everything that had happened, the results of her endeavours were about to pay off. After so long, everything was about to fall into place. Just a little more patience, and she would hav exactly what she wanted, in the palm of her hand.

Gently gathering her hair up, she slipped an elastic band from her wrist over the gathered hair, swiftly tying it back into a high ponytail. Later on she might do something with it, she thought, but for now, it was out of the way.

Still humming an erratic tune, she grinned as she picked up her leather wallet from the dresser top. Opening it up, she withdrew a faded, dog-eared photograph.

"Soon, my love, we will be together again. After so long apart, will you be able to resist me?"

Gazing down at the photograph lovingly, she gently caressed the cheek of the girl in the picture, wishing more than anything that she had the photo-bound girl in front of her, alive and real.

Carefully slipping the photo back into her wallet, she dropped it back on the dresser and continued to move silently around her room, getting ready. On the inside, she was full of nervous excitement. How she couldn't wait to get her hands on her love!

A smile graced her lips as she recalled with perfect detail the blush that had enveloped her lover's cheeks, the way her love had looked away, clearly embarrassed as she had embraced her tightly, kissing her cheek and whispering into her ear as she had snapped the photo. Her love had complained loudly about the picture, proclaiming it to be too embarrassing, but she had eventually relented.

Pushing her thin framed glasses further up the slender bridge of her nose, the girl moved toward the closet, in search of a fitting outfit. It was the first time she was going to see her beloved in a long time, and it wouldn't do to be anything less than utterly gorgeous.

Letting the towel fall to the floor around her feet, Tsukuyomi slid her hands down her naked body slowly, twitching in anticipation at the thought of her own hands replaced by the soft, silky hands of her love.

_Soon,_ She thought. _Soon._

A/N: Sorry this took so long. Reviews are appreciated!


	8. Ch 7, Ressurrection

_Warrior Without A Master_

Chapter 7: Ressurection

Kaede slowed to a stop, her weapon falling to her side as she contemplated how useless she was currently being. Tatsumiya had once again fought valiantly on without her, leaving her forgotten and alone at the edge of battle as she went all out against the demons that she had found.

Kaede could only watch, admiration clear on her face, as Mana effortlessly dispatched demon after demon with her long, ultra thin sword, deadly tip hissing through the air with razor sharp accuracy, slitting throats and disemboweling any who dared get too close.

It was like this every time, Kaede thought, shifting her weight from her right leg to her left leg. Once Mana got into the heat of battle, Kaede seemed to fall into the background, useless and helpless.

Cursing softly to herself, she sheathed her sword. This was getting ridiculous...

Kaede brushed her lengthy bangs out of her eyes as she watched Mana dispel the last of the demons. When the last one faded away, and Mana flicked the blood from her blade and sheathed it swiftly.

"Another less than stellar performance, ne Kaede?" Mana asked, sighing and slowly turning around to face her.

Kaede shrugged. "You're faster than me, and way more skilled. There's nothing I can do. You don't need me."

Mana slowed to a stop in front of Kaede, gazing into her eyes.

"You're right. I don't need you. Not at all."

Kaede blinked, but otherwise gave no indication that Mana's callous tone had affected her.

"But," She continued, "I do want you. I want you to become an effective fighter, an impressive Master, earning the title you have."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Kaede asked, feeling lost. "I don't...I don't even get a chance when you're around."

"Go train on your own." Mana said. "I've been on my own since the very beginning, there was no one to guide me along."

Kaede was silent for a moment, contemplating her words.

"What if I...?"

Mana smirked. "Get hurt? Get killed, even?" She stepped closer to Kaede, lowering her head slightly until her lips were inches from Kaede's ear. "Don't worry, Master, I won't let that happen."

Shivering at the feel of Mana's warm breath ghosting against her cool skin, Kaede automatically pressed herself closer.

"Promise?" She whispered.

A slow nod. "Promise."

Kaede smiled, reassured that there was a possibility that she could eventually get better. After a second, Mana pulled away, putting some distance between them.

"Want to go get some food?" Mana asked. "I dunno about you, but I'm pretty hungry."

Kaede nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'd love to." Her response was slow, on autopilot, as her mind ran circles around the feelings surging through her.

Biting her lip, Mana hesitated for only a second before making up her mind. Reaching down, she grabbed Kaede's hand, ignoring the girl's questioning glance as she began walking in the direction of the nearest cafe.

* * *

Setsuna was laying on her back on her bed, browsing the internet on her phone when it vibrated, a notification at the top alerting her that Konoka had texted her. Dark eyes scanning a few more lines of text, she then dragged down her notification center from the top of the screen. Clicking on Konoka's text, she turned the phone sideways.

_Hey Setsuna, if you're available, you can come over if you like. I trust you still remember where I live?_

Setsuna rapidly keyed back a response, telling her she would be over soon. A glance out the window above her bed showed the sun setting brilliantly below the horizon, and she wondered if she would be lucky enough to be able to take to the skies tonight.

Sitting up, she shoved her phone in the front pocket of her jeans as she smoothed out her rumpled black shirt. Standing, she ran her fingers through her razor straight strands; suddenly deeming it too plain, she looked around her room for a moment before spotting a black elastic band sitting on her dresser. Expertly whipping her hair up into a ponytail, she threaded the band into her hair, snugging it tight. Satisfied, she grabbed her keys and left the room.

"Hey Asuna!" She called, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. Asuna poked her head out of the kitchen, a slice of burnt toast hanging from her teeth and a bottle of jam in her hand. Her eyebrows were raised slightly, interest piqued by the sound of excitement in Setsuna's voice.

"I'm going out for a while, I have my keys so lock up if you leave, okay?"

Asuna nodded, taking the toast from her mouth. "Where you going?"

"To Konoka's." Was her short reply, before she kicked into her shoes and took off out the door.

Grinning to herself, Asuna walked to the still open door, and gently pushed it closed. Hearing Setsuna's footsteps receding down the front steps, Asuna leaned against the door and took another thoughtful bite from her toast.

"Setsuna and Konoka, eh?" She mumbled. "I didn't think they'd actually get along..."

She pushed off the door, and moved toward the kitchen as she heard her phone go off, signalling a text.

"Good for them." She said softly, picking up her phone. Quickly unlocking it, she accessed her text messages.

Another text from Ayaka.

A smile crossed Asuna's face.

"No, I like the black one better!" She said to herself, leaning against the counter as she replied to Ayaka. She brushed a strand of hair from her face, and moved toward the couch in the living room. Curling up on the couch with her legs tucked underneath her, she giggled as Ayaka sent her another picture.

"I definitely like this one better." She purred.

* * *

Setsuna was unable to fly like she had wanted; instead, she plodded slowly down the street as the setting sun burned ever so warmly on her back, heating her neck and relaxing her. There were still a lot of people out, she noticed, which was understandable. The streets usually never emptied until a few hours past nightfall.

Sighing, she looked up into the sky. The setting sun was painting a brilliant picture of orange and gold-flecked clouds as they formed on the distant horizon. Rain tonight, maybe?

No, she decided. They didn't look like rain clouds.

It wasn't long before her wandering mind brought her to Konoka's house. Not realizing the time that had passed or the distance travelled, Setsuna looked up in surprise, eyes easily finding the still broken window.

Moving toward the front door, she knocked upon it a few times. There was no sound from within signalling that she had been heard, and she wondered if she should knock louder.

_'I'll just text her.'_ Setsuna thought. Just as she reached into her pocket, a loud thump reached her ears, startling her that she had heard it through the door. A pained whimper, followed by a muffled muttering, and then the door opened to reveal Konoka, biting her lip with tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Are...are you okay?" Setsuna asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.

Konoka cleared her throat softly, then nodded. "I, ah, may or may not have fallen down the stairs."

Setsuna suppressed a smile, not giving in to the temptation of laughing at her.

"I...see..." Setsuna said slowly. "You're okay, right?" She asked again, just to make sure.

Konoka shook her head, gesturing Setsuna inside. "I'm fine, don't worry about it. I'm glad you could come over." She added, closing the door behind the raven-haired girl.

Setsuna kicked off her shoes, and looked around, taking in for the first time the inside of Konoka's house.

It was plain, Setsuna decided, looking around, but not a poor kind of plain. Just a minimalist kind of plain. The walls were white from floor to ceiling, save for a thin strip of maple brown that bordered the length of the walls across the top. In the front hallway there was a small table along the wall. It looked to be topped with a slab of white granite flecked with black spots, atop thin legs of stainless steel. Upon it lay only a key ring holding two keys.

Very elegant, Setsuna decided. She figured the rest of the house would be furnished with the same kind of high end accessories, if what her sparing glance into the living room was any indication of.

Indeed, as Konoka led her through the house, Setsuna couldn't see any pictures on the wall, or any gaudy little baubles cluttering up the immaculate glass coffee table that stretched out in front of the single couch in the living room.

Through the kitchen, and Setsuna also spotted completely bare counters, save for a coffee machine.

_Either she's completely OCD about cleaning, or she really believes less is more._ Setsuna thought wryly, wondering idly if her amused half-hearted criticism was solely because her and Asuna's place was always a wreck.

"My room is upstairs, as you're...well aware of." A half smile crept across Konoka's face as she spoke, clearly amused by some unvoiced thought. Setsuna rolled her shoulders awkwardly, knowing exactly what she was thinking of.

Climbing the stairs, they came to another hallway. There were four doors here, all closed. Konoka led her to the end of the hallway, opening the door on the right.

"Aaand, this is my room." Konoka gestured. "Second time you've been in here, first time you've used the door like a normal person."

Setsuna would have rolled her eyes and tried to think of a snippy response, but she was too confused by the sight that greeted her.

Clutter and disarray.

There was a computer desk in one corner of the room, leaning precariously to one side under the weight of stack upon stack of books, nearly touching the ceiling. A closer look revealed them to be nearly all manga, prompting a chuckle from Setsuna.

"What?" Konoka asked, inquisitively.

Setsuna shook her head as she continued to look around the room. "So much manga." She said.

Konoka nodded somberly. "It's an addiction." She agreed.

Setsuna moved over to the bed that had it's blankets messily thrown over it in some sort of attempted bed-making and sat down, turning her gaze to the broken window. There was a new framed window, still wrapped in plastic and styrofoam, leaning against the wall under the broken window.

A moment's contemplation sizing up the old window and the new one, and Setsuna shifted uncomfortably.

"Uhh...I hadn't given it too much thought, thinking it would be a pretty straightforward affair, but..."

Setsuna got up and approached the window, running a hand along the window trim.

"I'll be honest, I'm not too sure how to do this." Setsuna admitted.

A gentle laugh was heard from Konoka as she moved over to stand at Setsuna's side.

"I didn't think you'd be able to manage it." She replied teasingly. "So I humored you for a bit. I did, however, call a professional. He'll be here tomorrow to fix it."

Setsuna visibly relaxed, relieved that such a task had been taken from her.

"So...what did you want to do now?" She asked.

Konoka clapped her hands together cheerfully. "Do you drink coffee?" She asked lightly.

"Not often, but yes." Setsuna nodded.

"Excellent! I'll make us some, then perhaps we can watch a movie or something?"

Setsuna's mouth quirked up into a crooked smile.

"I'd like that."

A/N: Sooo hungover...celebratory birthday bar bash was successful...urgh...


	9. Ch 8, Reintroduction

_Warrior Without A Master_

Chapter 8: Intrusion

A/N: I've been away for so long! Here's an update; another one to follow shortly, if time permits. Enjoy! Reviews are appreciated.

Setsuna slowly relaxed, sitting on Konoka's bed and accepting the cup of coffee that was passed to her. It was black, no milk or sugar added, and she took slow sips of the still-too-hot liquid.

Carefully holding her cup in one hand, and the remote for the television and DVD player in the other, Konoka climbed onto the bed, sitting about a foot away. Close enough to be friendly, far enough away to respect her personal space. Setsuna noted that, and silently appreciated it.

Turning on the television, Konoka made herself comfortable against the wall that her bed was against, snugging the cup between her legs so she didn't have to hold it.

"So, Setsuna, how's Asuna?" She asked.

Setsuna shrugged. "Good. She's in tonight, I think. Not really doing anything. At least, she wasn't when I left."

"Well, normally I'd reccommend she study, but...that girl deserves some downtime. She always seems so busy."

"Yeah, she usually is, with one thing or another."

Raising her cup delicately to her lips, Konoka took a sip.

Well," She said, placing the cup back between her legs, "is there anything you want to watch?"

Setsuna turned her gaze to the television and really focused on what was on it for the first time since she had sat down.

There was some sort of cooking show on, she realized. Watching it for a few seconds, it failed to capture her interest.

A tap on her leg made her look over, and she saw Konoka offering the remote to her.

A seconds' contemplation, and she reached out to take it, smiling her thanks at Konoka.

"What do you prefer?" Setsuna asked, opening the guide and idly scrolling through it.

Konoka shrugged. "Doesn't really matter to me. Anything you like."

Feeling slightly self-conscious, Setsuna put it on the History channel, and set down the remote within reach of Konoka, in case she decided to change it.

Setsuna really tried to pay attention to the television, but her gaze repeatedly drifted to Konoka, staring at her out of the corner of her eye. For her part, Konoka seemed engaged with the television, her long brown hair framing her face beautifully.

"So, do you live here alone?" Setsuna asked. Konoka turned to her, smiling when their gazes met.

"No, my parents own this house. They're out of town right now; they do a lot of out of town work, and they're always travelling."

"Oh, I see." Setsuna said. Her gaze returned to the television for a moment, before she turned back to face Konoka.

"Do you ever get lonely?" She asked. "Y'know, with your parents gone?"

Konoka hummed softly. "Sometimes, I guess." She was quiet for a moment, and Setsuna licked her lips. Before she could ask another question though, Konoka spoke again.

"If I'm being completely honest though, I don't really like being by myself. That's why I try to hang out with Asuna so much; she's really my closest friend. When I talked to her about it, she came up with the idea of introducing us." A smirk curved her lips. "She figured we both could use a new friend."

Setsuna wasn't sure what to say about that. She had never considered herself lonely, really, but she wasn't totally against Konoka's company. At least, not yet.

"Well, I gotta say, Asuna didn't do too bad a job." Setsuna said.

Konoka looked at her, then smiled before returning her gaze to the television.

"Not a bad job at all..." Konoka murmured.

* * *

A blonde-haired, ponytailed woman strode happily down the street, humming softly to herself as she looked around at the scenery all around her. It had been a while since she had been in this city, and it had expanded quite a bit in that time. New shops and businesses had popped up, new residential areas, and the addition of another mall.

_'All of this in only eighteen months?' _ She pondered to herself. _'Seems so much longer than that.'_

Reaching up, Tsukuyomi absent-mindedly pulled at her ponytail, the awkward hairstyle almost uncomfortable to her. She always wore it down, but to see her love looking the same way she had a year and a half ago seemed lazy and careless. She had changed a lot about herself since then, why not her hairstyle, too?

She was currently clad in an outfit that she was sure would garner the attention of her love; not that she was worried or anything, but eighteen months was a long time to be away from someone. What if she...?

Tsukuyomi shook her head, displacing the silly thoughts. There was no way she could have fallen for another. Tsukuyomi had had a hard enough time getting close to the girl, with over two years of fighting together, there was no way a stranger had gotten her after only a year and a half.

The nagging feeling of worry made itself known in the pit of her stomach, and she quickened her pace, in a hurry now as she turned down an unfamiliar road. Checking the directions again on her phone, she resisted the urge to break into a job as she saw that she was getting close.

Slipping her phone back into her bra, she began looking at the houses, looking for the right number.

It didn't take long before she found what she was looking for, and walking up the walkway, she surveyed the house intently. Her love seems to be doing well for herself, she noted, as she approached the door.

She stopped on the door step, and took a deep breath. She suddenly realized that her heart was pounding in her chest, and that her breathing had increased. Blinking a few times, she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

Raising her hand to the door, she hesitated for a moment. Then, the image of her love flashed through her mind, and she smiled. Knocking confidently on the door, she stood up tall and straight, eager to see the girl once more.

It took a few seconds, but then there were almost imperceptible footsteps, light taps getting closer and closer to the door.

Slowly, a smile crept across Tsukuyomi's face, growing wider and wider until-

"Setsu-!" A pause, as the door swung open, revealing not the dark haired girl of her dreams, but a confused looking red-head standing in the doorway. Tsukuyomi took a second to look her over, wondering if she had the wrong address, or if this was some friend of Setsuna's.

The girl was giving her a curious look, her striking bi-colored eyes gazing at her with wide, unveiled interest. Her shirt, if it could be called that, was hanging off one shoulder and, if Tsukuyomi's opinion accounted for anything, deserved to be in some shop somewhere doing duty as a rag, rather than as a shirt. It covered her chest appropriately enough, though the ripped and tattered edges that didn't quite make it down past her belly button seemed to beg for the shirt to be retired. Tsukuyomi's gaze drifted down, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust at the black sweat pants adorning her lower body. Such an unrefined girl!

"Can I help you?" The red-head asked, reaching up and popping a sucker into her mouth, flicking it around with her tongue so that the white stem wagged back and forth tauntingly in front of Tsukuyomi.

"I'm looking for Setsuna." Tsukuyomi said, refusing to entertain the idea that this girl could have anything to do with her beautiful love.

"Yeah? An' who're you?"

Tsukuyomi grit her teeth together, willing herself not to backhand the only lead she had so far on Setsuna's location.

"Tsukuyomi. She might have mentioned me."

The girl shifted from one foot to the other, sizing her up.

"Mmm, no. No she didn't. Sorry."

Tsukuyomi took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "So this is her house, then?"

The red-head shrugged non-chalantly. "Hers, mine, whichever you wanna call it."

"Oh? You live with her, then?"

"We live together. What's it matter to you?"

Tsukuyomi considered a snarky response, but decided to hold her tongue.

"Well, is she home?"

"Not now, no."

"I see. Could you give her this, then, when you see her?" Tsukuyomi withdrew a piece of paper with her name and phone number on it, handing it to the girl.

The girl took it, giving it a sparing glance before shoving it into her back pocket. Then she folded her arms across her chest and let herself lean sideways until she was leaning up against the door frame. Her heterochromiatic eyes roamed over Tsukuyomi once more before dismissing her.

"I'll give it to her when I see her. If she doesn't call or anything...don't blame me."

Tsukuyomi shook her head, turning around.

"Trust me, ginger, she'll call. You just make sure you give it to her."

Not looking back, Tsukuyomi strode off, glad that she had found out where Setsuna was living.

"I have a feeling that girl won't give Setsuna my number, so I'll have to come back later." She said to herself. Humming happily to herself, she began walking home.

A/N: I can't wait to get out more updates! Hopefully you guys enjoy this chapter, and look forward to more!


	10. Chapter 9- Before the Storm

_Warrior Without A Master_

Chapter 9: Breakdown

Tatsumiya pushed open Kaede's door with her elbow, hands full. Kaede looked up from her text book in time to see Mana toss a bottle of water at her. Eyes widening in surprise at the unexpected gesture, she dropped her book and reached up, just in time to catch it.

Mana merely smirked and moved over to the bed, sitting back down in her spot and picking up her text book.

"Have you made any progress on those problems, yet?" Mana asked, tilting her head at the math book in Kaede's lap.

"Ehhh..."

"Problem?"

Kaede shrugged. "Math isn't really my strongest area," She said. "Whoever decided mathematics would make more sense by cramming it full of the alphabet really had it out for me."

"Now, that's not necessarily true." Mana replied, scribbling down some notes with a black pen. Looking up from her notebook for a moment, she locked her gaze with Kaede.

"Letters merely represent other numbers, unknowns, or variables. It doesn't have to be complicated, unless you make it so."

Kaede sighed forlornly, flipping through some of the pages. "Something's just not clicking. I don't get it."

"What don't you understand?" Mana asked, leaning forward and scooting a bit closer to the girl so as to get a better look at her work.

"I'm not following the theory." Kaede replied. "It's easy to say, ' This is your variable, this is how you solve for it, now go', but really, how do they know that? If I don't understand the mechanics behind it, I can't grasp the problem it's intended to solve."

"Well..."

"See? Even you're confused!" Kaede let a grin slide across her face, glad that she had finally found something that Mana couldn't understand.

"Not really," Mana said. The grin disappeared from Kaede's face, and she looked back at the paper.

"Not really what?"

Mana's delicate eyebrows furrowed together ever so slightly in concentration as she stared at the book in Kaede's lap.

"I understand what you mean, in a roundabout way, I'm just trying to figure out a way to explain it in a way you'll understand."

"Oh."

"Hmm."

There was silence for a few moments, as they both pondered different sets of problems.

Mana, for her part, tried hard to figure out a way to help Kaede, but it was late, and her mind began wandering. Thinking back to her own problems, an idea slowly started to form in the back of her mind.

"Hey, Kaede..." She said slowly, garnering said girl's attention.

"Mm, yeah?"

"Do you think you could set up a meeting with Konoka tomorrow?"

"What sort of meeting?" Kaede asked, not following the new, unspoken train of thought.

"Just like a quick get-together. I have a few questions for her."

"Yeah, sure. I'll see if she has some time tomorrow to hang out. Maybe we can get lunch or something."

"Yeah, that would work..." Mana trailed off, eyes falling back to her own text book. She was looking, but not seeing; deep in thought, thinking about other things.

After a moment, she shook her head and blinked a few times, as if coming out of a daze. Mumbling something to herself, she shook her head again and picked up her water bottle, twisting off the cap.

Kaede observed her from the corner of her eye, watching the girl mumble soundlessly to herself. It was a strange quirk the girl had, Kaede had noticed, whenever she was deep in thought, she had the tendency to mouth her thoughts, almost talking to herself, but with no sound.

Smiling, Kaede turned her head a bit to continue watching the girl, trying not to laugh at the girl's antics.

Suddenly, Mana looked up. "Something funny, Kaede?" She asked, her piercing gaze sending shivers down Kaede's back.

"N-not really, no." Kaede replied, uncertain as to why she was suddenly stumbling over her words. She was unable to look away from Mana, until the girl hummed softly and looked back down at her book.

"I see."

Kaede was silent for a moment, then turned her gaze back to her book. Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion passed over her and she closed her book. Setting it down on the bed, she looked at Mana.

"Tired of studying?" Mana asked, raising an eyebrow curiously at her.

Kaede nodded. "Yeah, that's about all I can handle for tonight."

"Are you tired?" Mana asked, carefully marking her page and closing her book as well. "Should I leave?"

"Well..."

Kaede didn't know what to say. She hesitated, thoughts running through her head as a hurricane of emotions whirled through her heart. She didn't want Mana to leave, but didn't know exactly how to get her to stay.

"Er, Mana, can I ask you a question?" Kaede looked up from her white socked feet to meet Tatsumiya's gaze.

"You just did." Mana smirked.

A look of confusion passed over Kaede's face, before she realized what Mana meant.

"Oh, I..."

A small chuckle from the raven-haired warrior.

"Anything, my Master." She said, her voice low and husky. She never broke eye contact with Kaede, even as Kaede's face darkened a few shades.

"E-er...why do you...what I mean is...why is it that you study so diligently, when you could die in the next battle? Why not spend it doing something fun, instead?"

A hard look passed through Mana's dark eyes, a look that Kaede couldn't recognize.

"Because, Kaede. I need to study. One day, I'll need these things I've learned."

Quicker than Kaede could register, Mana was on top of her, pinning her to the soft bed by her wrists. Her raven hair draped over her shoulders as she lowered her face closer to Kaede's; close enough that Kaede could smell the enticing, teasing fragrance that Mana was wearing.

"I don't plan on losing. Ever. I know what I want, and I'm going to get it."

Her voice was a whisper, but Kaede could hear the menacing growl lurking in the undertones, threatening to break free into a feral gutteral snarl.

"I refuse to die in battle. I don't care what it takes, I'll crush every opponent who gets in my way. If you wonder if you'll die in the next battle, you might as well kill yourself now. It's not up to a romantic idea like fate or luck whether you live or die; it's up to yourself, and no one else. If you don't have absolute faith and confidence, you might as well lay down and die."

By now, Kaede was trembling. Whether from fear, or something else, she couldn't quite tell. Feeling Mana's warm, peppermint scented breath against her cheek, her heart pounded away in her chest like a manic drum. She wished she could get rid of the heat rising in her cheeks, but she was too busy concentrating on the heat rising somewhere else.

The feeling of Mana's strong yet slender hands around her wrists excited her beyond belief; she didn't know she could feel such desire before, yet she felt it, coursing through her body with unstoppable force.

Kaede stared into Mana's eyes, unable to speak; she didn't trust the words that might come out.

For a second-and only a second, Mana told herself later- she glanced down at Kaede's lips; thinking about it for a split second before she let a smirk slide across her face. Slowly pulling away, she gracefully got off the bed.

"I'm going to leave now; I'll see you tomorrow Kaede. Give some thought to what I've said, it's important. Shoot me a text when you find out what time Konoka will meet with us."

"U-Us?" Kaede managed to say, sitting up and leaning against the wall. She swallowed softly and willed herself to stop trembling.

Mana stopped in the doorway of Kaede's bedroom.

"Us. We're gonna be spending a lot of time together, you and I. I'd get used to it if I were you." A pause.

"Master." She added, looking over her shoulder at Kaede before finally leaving the room.

Kaede stared at the doorway where Mana had disappeared, and a minute or so later, she heard her front door gently closing. Inhaling deeply, she then sighed.

"I never know what she's thinking." She grumbled to herself, laying down and stretching out on her bed.

Inhaling softly, she closed her eyes. If she concentrated, she could still catch the scent of Mana...

* * *

Konoka set her open manga face down on her bed when she heard her phone vibrate, effectively saving her place as she reached over to grab the device. Accessing her text messages, she saw that she had two; one that she hadn't heard about an hour ago from Setsuna- that put a smile on her face- and another one from Kaede.

Checking the most recent one first, she silently read the text to herself while tapping her fingernail against the soft cover of her book.

Once read, she used both hands to text back a quick reply. Snapping the phone shut, she dropped it on the blanket, and picked up her book to resume where she had left off.

"Wonder what Tatsumiya wants...?" She asked herself idly. She found her spot in the manga again, and began reading. It didn't last long, however, as she nearly dropped her book at the realization that she had ignored Setsuna's text.

Picking up her phone again, she hurriedly read the text from Setsuna, asking if she wanted to hang out today.

_'Sure. One of my friends' friends wants to meet up with me, want to come along and keep me company?'_

Snapping her phone shut after sending the message, she hoped she wasn't responding too late. Maybe Setsuna had already made plans?

A one-shouldered shrug was her only response; there would always be time to hang out later if that were the case.

She tried to return to her manga, but a glance at the time told her that she had better start getting ready, or she would be meeting her friends in the black sweat pants she used for sleeping.

Sighing, she glanced at her phone once more before getting up.

She really hoped Setsuna would text her back...

* * *

A/N: Not much to say about this chapter...love Mana and Kaede. Also, next chapter is going to kick ass. I'm excited for it. Reviews are appreciated!


	11. Ch 10, Unravel Pt 1

_Warrior Without A Master_

Chapter 10: Unravel

Setsuna bent over and closed the taps controlling the water flow to the shower head, tightening them down until they would turn no more. The water went from a strong flow to but a few drops falling from the shower head, the sudden silence ringing in her ears as she took note of the absence of the pounding waterfall.

With a sweeping motion her left hand pulled back the shower curtain. She carefully stepped out onto the white linoleum floor of her bathroom, right hand grabbing a black fluffy towel from the rack on the wall. She took a moment to scrub her hair and her face, before wrapping the towel around her body.

A quick glance at her phone told her what time it was, and she saw that she had more than enough time to get ready. Her shower hadn't been as long as previously anticipated, it seemed.

The mirror was clouded with condensation, and she reached out and slid her hand across the surface. What was revealed was a water-spotted streak of glass, leaving her with a cold, soaked palm and a spotty reflection.

Wiping her hand on her towel, she then pulled it from her body and used it to wipe off the mirror.

Satisfied, she stared at her reflection for a moment. A light-skinned, dark-haired girl stared back, wet hair clinging to her face and neck.

Suddenly, Setsuna became aware of the feeling of ice-cold beads of water running down her back, and she quickly grabbed a dry towel from the counter-top, running it through her hair once again.

Letting the damp towel fall from her grasp, she used the one wrapped around her body to dry off completely. It only took a few moments, as she moved quickly to dry the ever-chilling water from her skin. Dropping the towel into the bathroom laundry basket, she picked up her black thong from the counter and slipped it on. Running a hand through her hair, she mentally prepared herself for the blast of cold air she would receive as she opened the door.

Pulling the bathroom door open, she immediately placed one arm over her chest, feeling her nipples harden slightly as goosebumps rose on her skin. Cold air invaded the bathroom as the door was pulled open, and Setsuna made her way to her bedroom as quick as she could, tiptoeing barefoot across the carpet.

Her room was a few degrees warmer than the rest of the house, something she was thankful for as she closed the door behind her and made for the window to drop the open blinds.

A small part of her brain realized that she had forgotten her phone in the bathroom, but she made no move to get it right away. Instead, she glanced once more at the time on her alarm clock.

_Tons of time._ She thought. Moving over to her bed, she stared down at the clothes she had laid out before-hand. Brushing her damp hair out of her face, she reached down and picked up the black bra that matched her thong. Slipping her arms through the loops, she expertly reached behind herself to hook it together.

Once that was done, Setsuna slipped into a pair of light blue semi-faded jeans, absent-mindedly zipping them up as her mind wandered to the training regimen she had been abandoning lately.

The fighting style she'd been experimenting with, most reluctantly, if she was willing to admit, was keeping her from harm, and enabling her to get a lot more kills. However, it didn't fit her brash attitude and her tendency to recklessly charge into the midst of battle. Being surrounded and giving it as good as she got was what really got her blood pumping, not this dancing around and evading hits style of battle.

Her gaze flicked to her sword leaning against the wall. It was almost like part of her personality was being suppressed during her fights, with this new fighting style. It didn't fit her. It wasn't who she was.

For a moment, a memory flashed through her mind of the girl who fit the fighting style like a glove; she entertained it for only a second before suppressing it. She was no more, less than a memory to Setsuna who tried so desperately to forget.

Mumbling softly to herself, Setsuna scooped up the black long-sleeved v-neck shirt and pulled it over her head. Pulling the sleeves up to just below her elbows, she revealed her powerful, curved forearms. A glance out the bedroom window showed less than favourable weather; she would have to dress accordingly. Moving over to the dresser against the wall, she pulled out a pair of white socks and nimbly slid them on, scrunching her toes against the soft pile of the carpet as the new fabric felt slightly weird against her skin. Reaching back into the top drawer she pulled out a small chain with an ornate silver hammer hanging from it, a present she had received from someone a long time ago. The girl had been crazy into Norse mythology, and it had kind of rubbed off on Setsuna after a while.

Setsuna sighed softly, the melancholic mood fully setting in now that the dam had been broken and memory after memory flooded forward. Clasping the chain around her neck, she wanted to tuck in inside her shirt to be closer to her heart, but she smirked as she realized her shirt was too low-cut. The cool metal pressed against her skin between her breasts, and she took a moment to think about how long it had been since the last time she had worn it.

Sighing softly, her thoughts were interrupted by a faint distant buzzing. Realizing her phone was going off in the bathroom, she pushed away from the dresser and moved toward the closet. Throwing open the door, she grabbed a black leather jacket and slung it about her shoulders. It weighed comfortably on her shoulders, much heavier than any of the jackets or sweaters she was used to. It was a familiar, oddly soothing feeling to have it on again.

Looking out the window once more, she saw miniscule droplets on the window. It was beginning to rain.

Smiling softly to herself, Setsuna nuzzled gently against the stiff collar of the jacket, loving the way the collar curved around her neck and rustled her hair. The collar was designed to button up, but she left it undone. Despite that, it hid her mouth and tickled her nose, the metal button a cool spot against her lip. Moving back to the dresser, she grabbed an elastic from the top and ran her fingers through her hair, gathering it up into a messy ponytail. Securing it with the elastic, she left her bedroom. Stopping at the bathroom to grab her phone, she checked her phone to see what she had missed.

A text from Konoka.

The corner of her mouth curved slightly as she opened it, wondering what Konoka wanted from her now.

_Hey Setsuna! We're meeting at the cafe near my house. You know the one! Can't wait to see you!_

Setsuna smirked as she slipped into her shoes, sliding her phone into an inside pocket of her jacket. Brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, she opened the door and left, shutting it firmly behind her. She didn't bother locking it; Asuna was home.

Bowing her head against the rapidly quickening rain, she began walking at a liesurely pace toward the aforementioned cafe.

* * *

Kaede stared at herself in the mirror, biting her lip as she considered her current shirt. A glance at the window showed that it wasn't very practical, and she sighed. Reaching down, she grabbed the hem and pulled it up over her head. Tossing it onto the floor, she moved toward her closet, searching for something a little more appropriate.

Unconsciously, her hips swayed side to side as soft music reached her ears, her iPhone playing music at random across the room. It wasn't up very loud, but she could hear snippets of lyrics, and most of the instrumental.

Humming softly, she pushed aside a few hangers, then yanked down a shirt and a sweater.

Turning back to the mirror, she slipped the shirt over her head. It wasn't much better than her first, she noted with a smirk, but it didn't matter. That's what her sweater was for.

"I wish it weren't raining, I don't want to see you cover that up with a sweater."

Heart leaping into her chest, Kaede jumped and spun around, spotting Mana leaning up against her door frame, a smirk on her face.

"Scare you?" Mana asked, nonchalantly pushing off the wall and stalking toward her.

Kaede shook her head, stuttering out a 'no.'

Mana hummed softly as she moved closer. Stopping in front of Kaede, she slowly let her gaze travel up and down her body, taking in every detail. The shirt, or lack of it, really, was what caught her attention the most. It was a faded purple, probably once decaled with an obscure punk rock band or something. It was sleeveless, and the sides were slashed almost all the way down to the hem, revealing a fair amount of sideboob and hip. Reaching up, Mana ghosted her fingertips from Kaede's bare hip, up her side, stopping at the fabric of her bra, tantalizingly close but oh so far.

Kaede shuddered at the tickling feeling running across her skin, and couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her when Mana daringly let her hand slide up her voluptuous breasts, up her chest and around her neck. Running her fingers through Kaede's hair, she followed the unbound strands down her back, lightly stroking a ticklish pattern down her spine. Kaede couldn't break her gaze away from Mana's, even when her roaming hands gently squeezed her backside.

"Uhh..." Kaede didn't know what to say or do, as Mana smirked at her.

"Too bad it's raining out. I much prefer you this way."

"Eh...th-thank you." A heated blush flooded across her cheeks and the back of her neck, and she lowered her gaze to the floor, clasping her hands in front of her. She tightly clenched the sweater in her grip.

"So shy..." Mana murmured, her voice tantalizingly close to Kaede's ear.

Kaede squeezed her eyes closed, feeling like she was going to pass out from embarassment.

When there were no more touches ghosting across her skin, she slowly opened her eyes and raised her head. Mana was standing in the doorway once more, smirking at her.

"Are you coming, or am I spending today without you...Master?"

A familiar heat flashed through her body at Mana's teasing tone and choice of words, yet, with some difficulty, she suppressed it.

"O-of course," Kaede said, fumbling with the sweater in her hands for a moment before pulling it over her head. Gathering her courage, she pulled the sleeves down and flipped up her hood. As she passed by Mana in the doorway, she inhaled deeply, then reached out and grabbed Mana's hand with both of hers. Clutching it tightly, she pulled herself closer and pressed her body up against the raven-haired girl. Looking up at the wide-eyed girl, she gently bit her lip.

"My warrior." Kaede whispered.

Mana stared down at the blushing girl who was clinging onto her arm looking so damn adorable with her wide eyes and soft-looking lips, and was temporarily speechless.

Meeting Kaede's gaze, her mind went blank. Kaede giggled, very uncharacteristic for her, and reached up, putting a finger to her bottom lip and pouting slightly.

"Mana?" She asked, pushing herself up against the girl.

In an instant, Mana was overcome with impulsive desire. Without thinking, she brought her arm up and wrapped it around Kaede's shoulders, pulling her close to her chest and leaning down. Without warning, their lips were pressed together, earning a muffled moan of surprise from Kaede. The kiss was rough, full of desire, and ended just as quickly as it had begun. As Mana pulled away, she smirked as she noticed Kaede licking her lips hungrily and staring at her.

"M-Mana, I-"

"Let's go, shall we? It wouldn't do to be late." Turning around, Mana grabbed Kaede's hand and began pulling her toward the front door.

Heart hammering in her chest, Kaede grasped Mana's hand tightly as she tried to wrap her mind around what had just happened.

Mana, doing her best to remain stone-faced about the kiss, had a whirlwind of thoughts spinning around inside her head. The rather impulsive action had confused her, even moreso because it was herself who had initiated it. Unconsciously licking her lips, her hand tightened around Kaede's. Thinking hard about what had just happened, she didn't notice Kaede gently squeeze back.

A/N: I had to break this chapter into two parts, just for sheer length. I could do it all at once, but that means even longer update times for what is already a long wait. Some excellent Mana and Kaede in here, but the real action is in the next chapter. Please review, I love hearing your comments and thoughts.


	12. Ch 11, Unravel Pt 2

_Warrior Without A Master_

Chapter 11: Unravel, Pt. 2

It was shortly after eleven in the morning when Setsuna arrived at the coffee shop. Pushing open the door, she barely registered the stereotypical chiming bell that clanked softly in the background as the warm scent of various baked items reached her nose. Trying to ignore the scented distractions, she looked around to see if anyone had arrived before her. Suddenly, her gaze fell upon Konoka, who smiled when their gazes met. Raising a hand in greeting, Konoka waved for Setsuna to come join her. Setsuna nodded, then carefully made her way down the aisle toward the booth Konoka was sitting in.

"Morning, Setsuna!" Konoka grinned as Setsuna slowly removed her leather jacket, throwing it on the padded bench before sitting down. Wiping a few droplets of rain from her forehead with the back of her hand, she raised her head to meet Konoka's gaze.

"Morning. Or, afternoon, almost." Setsuna replied. No sooner had she looked around than there was a waitress at her elbow, offering a menu and holding a pot of steaming coffee. Setsuna nodded and turned an upside down coffee cup right side up, sliding it closer to the waitress. Accepting the menu, she set it off to the side as the girl reached into her apron and dropped a couple creams on the table.

"I'll be back soon to take your order." The girl smiled at her, then turned and walked away. Setsuna absent-mindedly let her gaze linger on her retreating form for a moment too long, before Konoka gently coughed, bringing her attention back to the present.

Shaking her head and blinking, Setsuna inhaled deeply and sighed, pretending that her absent-minded gazing hadn't just happened. Taking a sip of her black coffee, Setsuna cleared her throat softly and looked up, meeting Konoka's curious gaze.

"No one else here yet?" Setsuna asked, knowing the answer was obvious, but wanting to break the suddenly awkward silence.

Konoka gently swirled a spoon in her coffee, shaking her head. "Not yet. The others aren't too far away though." Konoka set the spoon down on a napkin and took a sip. Setting down the cup, she looked up shyly from it to smile at Setsuna. "You look good today."

Setsuna raised an eyebrow at the comment, then took a moment to examine Konoka.

The girl had on a thin white hoodie, long sleeves covering most of her hands, leaving only her fingers poking out. It was halfway unzipped, revealing a splash of yellow underneath. Her long brown hair spilled down her back and over her shoulders.

"You too." Setsuna said quietly, looking down at the table top. Konoka smiled, and wrapped her hands around her cup, feeling the warmth seep into her hands.

"Have you decided on anything?"

Setsuna looked up to see the waitress was back, grinning at her.

"Oh! Uh...not yet, no. I haven't even looked, sorry."

"That's okay, take your time. Do you want anything else to drink, while you're thinking about it?"

Setsuna shook her nead. "I'm alright."

"Okay, I'll be back in a few minutes to see if you've decided."

Setsuna looked at the menu, trying to decide if she was hungry or not. After a moment's consideration, she decided she wasn't, and set the menu off to the side.

"So what does your friend want, anyway?" Setsuna asked, remembering why she was here in the first place.

Konoka shrugged. "No idea. Just wanted to meet up and talk about something." She replied.

Setsuna hummed softly.

"Well, afterward, would you wanna maybe...I dunno, hang out or something?" Setsuna asked. She was taken aback when Konoka's head shot up, eyes wide and a grin stretching across her face.

"Yeah, of course!" She replied.

"O-okay." Setsuna was a little surprised by Konoka's sudden enthusiasm, but decided not to say anything about it.

"Oh! There they are!" Konoka said, leaning over and looking toward the door. Raising an arm, she waved. "Mana! Kaede! Over here!"

Setsuna turned to look over her shoulder, and spotted the two girls Konoka had called. They were both equally as tall as each other, the raven-haired girl maybe a little taller, but not by much. As they got closer, Setsuna realized that they were both way taller than either herself or Konoka. Realizing that one of them would sit beside Konoka, and they other beside herself, she scooted over to make room. Konoka did the same.

The raven-haired girl chose to sit next to Konoka, leaving the brown-haired girl to sit next to Setsuna.

"Hi guys!" Konoka greeted happily. "Um, introductions, I guess. Kaede, the girl next to you is Setsuna. Setsuna, the girl across from you is Mana."

"Really..." The dark-haired girl-Mana- leaned closer, examining her with sharp eyes.

"This...is highly convenient." She muttered.

Setsuna's fighting insticts kicked in, and she raised her head to match Mana's gaze, a glare settling across her face almost instantly.

"What is?" She challenged. She could feel the other girl Kaede staring at her from the corner of her eye. She was beginning to feel surrounded.

Mana leaned back into her seat, a curious look on her face as she raised a hand to her chin.

"I mean you no harm, Setsuna. I've...heard a lot about you."

"What do you want from me? How do you know who I am?"

The girl smirked, tapping her bottom lip with her finger. "You would be surprised how many people know who you are." She replied.

Konoka looked back and forth between the two, clearly confused as to what was going on.

"What do you want?"

Mana leaned forward, fixing her with an intense stare.

"You're still alive."

Those three words set the hairs on the back of Setsuna's neck on end, and she had a feeling she knew where this was going.

"Not in front of Konoka." Was the first thing she said in response, her tone steely.

"Oh? She doesn't know yet?" There was amusement in Mana's tone.

"No. This isn't the place to discuss this." Setsuna growled. She could feel her irritation skyrocketing.

"What don't I know about?" Konoka interjected, looking back and forth between the two girls so often Setsuna was afraid she was going to hurt her neck.

"You know that thing that always keeps Asuna occupied?" Setsuna asked. "Something like that."

"Oh." The reply was quiet.

"How are you still alive?" Was Mana's next question. She leaned forward, hands on the table.

"I need to know how you did it."

Setsuna glared at her. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Your partner, she's dea-"

Setsuna jumped up from her seat, slamming her fist down on the table. "I never had a partner!" She roared, all self-control lost. She barely noticed the looks she'd garnered from the other patrons.

"Setsuna, sit down." Konoka whispered, looking around.

Grinding her teeth together, Setsuna slowly sunk into her seat, moving away from the girl Konoka had called Kaede.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." Setsuna said angrily.

Mana blinked, then hummed softly.

"Perhaps I came on too strong." She spoke slowly, carefully choosing her words. "Perhaps there is somewhere more private you'd like to discuss this?"

"I'm not discussing this. Anywhere." Setsuna replied.

"I'm sorry, Setsuna, but that answer is simply unacceptable. You've somehow survived the death of your partner when it should have killed you as well. I need to know how, so I-"

Setsuna stood again, this time glaring down at the girl sitting next to her.

"Move." She ordered, a threatening tone clear in her voice.

The girl looked up at her, then across to Mana, clearly unsure of what to do. Setsuna, unthinking at this point, reached down and placed her hand on Kaede's shoulder. Immediately, she shoved her thumb into the pressure point right above her collarbone, making the girl yelp and wince, going limp as she struggled to move out of Setsuna's way.

"Setsuna! What are you doing?"

Setsuna ignored Konoka as she slid out of the booth, Kaede dropping to the floor underneath her angry grip. Before Setsuna was aware of what had happened, there was a firm grip around her throat, pulling her up to her tip toes with almost inhuman strength. Suddenly she was face to face with a furious Mana.

"You take your hand off my woman immediately, or I'll rip your fucking throat out." Her tone was low and threatening, and Setsuna had no doubt the girl would do it, if provoked enough. Maybe not in this particular environment, but why take the risk?

Kaede was released, the girl whimpering softly as she rubbed the sore spot, looking up at Mana with wide eyes.

Mana held Setsuna's gaze for a moment, before slowly releasing the shorter girl.

"I was willing to work with you to get the information I wanted, but seeing how you treated Kaede makes my blood boil. If I have to beat the information out of you, then that's exactly what I'll do."

Setsuna said nothing as Kaede slowly stood, standing behind Mana and looking at Setsuna around Mana's shoulder.

Turning around, Setsuna grabbed her jacket and slung it over her shoulders. Pulling a crumpled bill from her pocket, she tossed it onto the table.

"If it's a fight you want, I'm more than willing." She replied. Tilting her head at Kaede, she scoffed. "Might want to think about getting a stronger Warrior though. Or maybe you're just a terrible Master?"

Without waiting for a response, she turned around, moving toward the exit.

"She is _my_ Master." Mana called after her, making Setsuna stop in her tracks. "Hurt her again, find out what happens."

Setsuna closed her eyes and contemplated a response, before deciding that those two weren't worth one. Reopening her eyes, she walked out of the coffee shop. Ignoring the now-pounding rain, she headed in the direction of her house.

Back at the cafe, Konoka stood up.

"I don't know what that was about, but you guys really pissed her off. What did you say to her? Who died, and why were you so callous about it?" She asked, looking up at Mana.

Mana hummed softly. "Perhaps I could have handled that better. Although the decline of the conversation was when she put her hand on my Kaede."

"No, the real decline was when you were so insensitive to Setsuna about an obviously sensitive subject!"

"Do you think we should have tackled it a different way?" Mana's tone suggested disbelief.

"Yes!" Konoka exclaimed.

"Hmm. Very well. Perhaps you should go after her?" Mana suggested.

Konoka pulled out some money for her coffee and dropped it on the table next to Setsuna's carelessly placed bill.

"Damn right I am! And you two are coming with me, to apologize."

Mana followed her out of the shop, but it was with folded arms. "I will never apologize for defending my woman." She said stubbornly.

"No, but you will apologize for being brash and insensitive. And I'll make sure she apologizes to Kaede, too."

The two were silent as they followed Kaede down the street. They weren't far behind Setsuna, and could in fact see the girl as she walked down the street away from them, head down and hands in her pockets.

"Setsuna! Setsuna, wait up!" Konoka called. Breaking into a jog, it wasn't long until she caught up, placing her hand on Setsuna's shoulder in an attempt to get her attention.

What she wasn't expecting was for Setsuna to stop and whirl around, throwing her hands up in the air.

"What do you want, Konoka?" She asked. "What is it?"

Konoka shrunk back from the angry girl, afraid of being struck, and for a moment couldn't remember what she had wanted to say.

Immediately, Setsuna's expression softened, and she lowered her arms.

"I'm sorry Konoka," Setsuna sighed, stepping closer. "I'm not mad at you, I shouldn't have yelled."

"Will you apologize for hurting Kaede if Mana apologizes for being insensitive?" Konoka asked, looking up at the ponytailed girl.

Setsuna took a moment to think about it. "Maybe." She reluctantly replied.

By this time, Mana and Kaede had reached them, and came to a stop in front of the two girls.

"You owe Kaede an apology." Mana said, turning her dark gaze on Setsuna.

Immediately, the tone of her voice set Setsuna on edge, but she had the sense to realize this was how things had gotten out of hand last time, and she willed herself to calm down.

"I'm sorry...that I hurt Kaede." Setsuna said. Said girl was staring at her shoes, still half hiding behind Mana, and Setsuna took a moment to wonder how this girl had ever become the Master of such a brash, willful girl like Mana.

Mana sighed, then looked at Konoka.

"Setsuna still shouldn't have done that." She said.

"Setsuna said she was sorry, Mana, your turn."

"Setsuna was-"

Mana was interrupted by an unknown voice, cutting between them from behind Setsuna.

"Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear... did you say Setsuna?"

Everyone turned to see who had spoken; everyone, that is, except Setsuna herself, who went stiff as a board as the color drained from her face. Eyes wide, she looked like she had seen a ghost.

"Yes?" Konoka asked. "May I ask who you are?"

"Tsu...Tsukuyomi..." The name was a whisper, voiced by Setsuna before the girl could respond. Slowly turning around, Setsuna laid eyes on the familiar girl, an explosion of feelings erupting in her head, heart, and stomach.

"You...you're alive." Setsuna's tone was disbelieving; as she reached out to touch the girl standing before her, she noticed she was trembling.

The blonde-haired, amber yellow-eyed girl smiled up at Setsuna as if their meeting was just a regular occurence.

"Of course. You're still alive, aren't you?" She asked. "You didn't think you were special, did you? Everyone knows you can't survive without your partner. Without your Master."

Behind Konoka, Mana could be heard uttering a soft curse.

"Master?" Konoka questioned. She looked back and forth between Setsuna's almost terrified expression, and the over-joyous expression on the new arrival. She began to have a bad feeling about all of this...

"Y-you're not dead...but...I saw you die!" Setsuna said. She blinked, wanting to make sure the girl in front of her was real. Stepping forward, she took the slightly smaller girl in her arms, wrapping her hands around her waist. A faint blush spread across Tsukuyomi's face, even as she smiled happily. "Now, this is more like the old times." Tsukuyomi purred. Reaching up, she gently stroked Setsuna's awe-struck face.

"I never died." She said. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be alive right now."

"But...after the battle, your body...it...gone..."

Tsukuyomi grinned. "Yet here I am." She replied.

"I don't understand..."

"Come with me, Setsuna...I have a lot to tell you."

Taking Setsuna's hand, she began leading Setsuna away from the three girls standing in the rain, confused as to what had just happened. One, more than the other two.

"What...just happened?" Konoka asked. She was a little hurt by the apparent intimacy between Setsuna and the blonde girl, and curious as to why Setsuna didn't even acknowledge her presence once she showed up.

Mana spoke, tone defeated and forlorn.

"I'll tell you what happened. Everything I've hoped for was a lie. Setsuna didn't survive the death of her partner. Her partner didn't die. She's just like the rest of us, and that really pisses me off."

Silence between the three girls, as each thought their own thoughts, watching Setsuna walk away arm in arm with the blonde-haired stranger.

"Can someone please explain to me what all of this is about?" Konoka asked. "I've been kept in the dark for way too long."

Mana sighed. "Maybe some other time, Konoka. Damn. This really throws a wrench into things. Come on, Kaede. Let's regroup back at your house."

Kaede quietly bid goodbye to Konoka, before turning and following her Warrior down the rain-slicked streets into the gloom.

Konoka was left standing in the pouring rain with more questions than answers, and no one to explain a thing.

A sigh.

Wet footsteps resounded in her ears as she began walking toward her home, which, thankfully, wasn't far from here.

"Maybe Asuna will own up." She muttered darkly.

A/N: Some people probably already suspected this, but here it is! Tsukuyomi is Setsuna's Master, and she never died. How is Konoka going to feel taking a back seat to Tsukuyomi now? How does Kaede feel to Mana's desire to be rid of her Master?

More chapters to reveal all of these things and more, and more fighting is coming! Reviews are appreciated. Thanks for sticking with it!


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